Promising Review: "We live in the mountains and I hate being pale! This sunless tanner has a pretty mild scent and does a good job adding subtle color. I really like that it is free of most of the gross harmful by-products most self-tanners have." —Sarah Yeager

Get it from Amazon for $6. (Cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny- and Peta-certified.)

Promising Review: "I have fair skin and do not tan very well. I've tried many products and this is my personal favorite. It gives a bronze color with a hint of shimmer. Looks very natural! Even my daughter said, 'Wow mum, you're tan!' She thought I sat out in the sun for a few days. A little goes a long way with this product. Won't run if it gets wet and comes off easily with soap and water. I'm definitely going to buy more!" —JW

Promising Review: "I tried it yesterday after showering, cleansing my face, and putting on moisturizer. I woke up today and immediately noticed the results. I don't look like a went tanning but I definitely have a glow and color to my face. It is a great product to use during winter. I also don't even want to put foundation on because the glow in my face is enough." —amadariaga

Get a pack of 20 wipes from Sephora for $35. (Cruelty-free and Peta certified.)

Promising Review: "I like that it gradually adds a tan. I've tried others that made my skin dark right away, leaving streaks and spots. But this doesn't leave streaks and looks natural. The smell is nice, too and isn't overpowering. I usually wait an hour between coats." —melissa

Promising Review: "I love this stuff! It is the closest product I have found that looks like a real tan. No orange tint. I have people comment on my 'tan' all the time...they have no idea it's from a tube. This is my third year buying it. Even my dermatologist thought I had been in the sun and was scolding me until I told her it was fake. She wanted to know what it was so she could tell her other patients who want a good fake tan product. I mix it with regular body lotion so it goes further." —Beaches109

Promising Review: "It goes on smooth, not sticky, and is practically odor-free. Leaves a nice, even glow to your skin. For someone that works all day and runs around with three kids, it's nice to have a little pick-me-up! So many people are asking me, 'did you just get back from vacation?'" —julsgrenz

Promising Review: "I use this lotion almost every day after I shower. People think I spend hours and hours in a tanning bed or out in the sun but in reality I just use this! It's my favorite. I've used it since high school and I always have a nice sun-kissed glow when I go out. The pump that was added to the bottle is so helpful. You don't have to deal with any pesky caps getting in the way or a mess of lotion everywhere." —Claudia

Promising Review: "I put this on at night and the next day I have a beautiful glow. It doesn't smudge or smear. The color looks really natural, not an orange color. I love it and will keep buying it." —Deebaby1

Promising Review: "As someone who is really pale, I was apprehensive to try this. I'm not a fan of the orange color that often comes from sunless tanners, but the price was right so I decided to try it. I exfoliated before my shower and then applied post-shower. The first time I used it, I mixed two pumps of lotion and a dime-sized amount of the tanner. It was a nice even, natural color. I applied it again the next day to add more color (still mixing with lotion). It dried in about 20 minutes and I was able to wear leggings all day without it streaking. It does have the awful smell, but nothing you can do about that. It lasts about five days before needing another application." —LMCDenver

Promising Review: "I've been using this brand for about six years. Even my doctors comment on my tan and think it's real. I use the spray to reach my back because I don't have help, and it works great." —Ana

Promising Review: "I love these wipes. They are a bit expensive, but they are the only tanning product that works well on my very white skin without looking streaky or fake! Creates a nice looking, built-up tan that will vary depending on the shade of your skin. I was nervous to use on my face because my skin is VERY sensitive and prone to breakouts, but it was fine!" —MarissaS

Get the pack of eight from Amazon for $48. (Cruelty-free but owned by Unilever.)

Promising Review: "This was so easy to use. I blended it with my hands, and it came clean-off from my palms after. No weird areas and no orange. I'm very pale, so it's crazy for me to go straight to tan in just a few minutes." —musikjunki

Here's to a summer free of sunburns and peeling!

20th Century Fox Television

]]>Elena Garciahttps://www.buzzfeed.com/elenamgarcia/self-tanning-products-people-actually-swear-bySun, 14 May 2017 13:01:05 -0400Look sun-kissed without the sun damage.elenamgarcianonadult<b><i>We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.</i></b>nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I love this stuff! I've never had a self-tanner that gives a reddish/natural tan the way this does. The smell is good at first, but after a few hours you can start to smell the DHA. I put it on, slept, and took a shower the next morning so the smell isn't a huge deal for me. It lasts for about four to five days I guess, depending on how often you shower (daily for me). Another bonus is that this product doesn't come off/fade away streaky at all! I definitely recommend this product. The price is pretty awesome, as well!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AEGUKENCHXEZ4KNI5HGPR3UOPV3Q">Mallory</a>
Get just the self-tanner for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/St-Tropez-Self-Bronzing-Mousse/dp/B003CFB3EC/">$42</a>, glove for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/St-Tropez-13956-Applicator-Mitt/dp/B00JIM55MY/">$6</a> or set for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/St-Tropez-Self-Bronzing-Mousse/dp/B01HHGDG82/?th=1">$48</a> from Amazon. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I have really pale skin with freckles, and this is the most natural-looking tan I've ever had! And the smell is AMAZING. I have white sheets and it doesn't stain them at all!!" —<a href="http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-brazilliance-maracuja-face-and-body-self-tanner">Elyse</a>
Get it from Tarte for <a href="http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-brazilliance-maracuja-face-and-body-self-tanner">$39</a>. (Cruelty-free, vegan, and Peta certified but owned by Kose.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "These work. I am very pale and use two towels to get the look I want. Not a dark tan by any means, but enough to take the blinding whiteness away!!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFOMVZ4OFEI5QAPXD6C76L7R3FUQ">klopez
</a>
Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tan-Towel-Towelette-Classic-Count/dp/B000SX3380/">$29</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I know everyone says 'I've tried so many products but this one is the best' — but truly this one is the BEST!!!! It has an almond scent when applying, and I don't have a problem with streaking. I usually put it on at night after exfoliating and shaving, and leave it on until the morning. Some of the color does come off. I try to put it on when I know I am having a day off from the gym so that I give it 24 hours before I sweat. I also use a moisturizing lotion that has a tan builder just to keep it lasting, which is usually about three to five days. My new go-to." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFMWE5SZU5O6X2OVDOCGDDPTUKCQ">Klarissa C</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Laboratories-Tanning-Lotion-Ultra/dp/B0009V8N5E/">$15</a>. Also available in a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LABORATORIES-Self-Tanning-Lotion-Overnight/dp/B000IOFQWK/">medium shade</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "We live in the mountains and I hate being pale! This sunless tanner has a pretty mild scent and does a good job adding subtle color. I really like that it is free of most of the gross harmful by-products most self-tanners have." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AHH5E5Y2OJPZD52YDFX7KY2DNGQA">Sarah Yeager</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Alba-Botanica-Sunless-Tanning-Lotion/dp/B0016J22EQ/">$6</a>. (Cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny- and Peta-certified.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "Super easy to use and finally, a self-tanner that doesn't smell bad! You don't have to wear gloves to apply it because it just doesn't tan you that much. It will stain your sheets at night, be warned. This is good if you apply daily as maintenance." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFYPRRHNAA7T4ESG5E3CVASFCEOA">sandra miller</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tan-Physics-Color-Sunless-Tanner/dp/B00EOXX5YM/">$30</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I have fair skin and do not tan very well. I've tried many products and this is my personal favorite. It gives a bronze color with a hint of shimmer. Looks very natural! Even my daughter said, 'Wow mum, you're tan!' She thought I sat out in the sun for a few days. A little goes a long way with this product. Won't run if it gets wet and comes off easily with soap and water. I'm definitely going to buy more!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AF5DZ73D7QAB6NPIAABAM2O5RQMA">JW</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LORAC-TANtalizer-Bronzing-Luminizer-Original/dp/B008XN7DBA/">$33</a>. Available in two shades. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I have tried a number of different self-tanners (lotions, sprays, and foams) and this is my new favorite! I love that it is organic and natural. I feel so much better knowing I am not rubbing nasty chemicals into my skin. I also love that it does not contain a bronzer in it. I have another foaming lotion I use that has a bronzer and it gets on everything. Especially in the summer when you are hot and sweating...not a good look. The lotion itself does not have a scent to it, which I really like." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFQCLIE5AS6ZDUZWYO7LVZ5UP4BA">KO</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Earth-Dye-Free-Natural-Sunless/dp/B00L2PB3BW/">$24</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I tried it yesterday after showering, cleansing my face, and putting on moisturizer. I woke up today and immediately noticed the results. I don't look like a went tanning but I definitely have a glow and color to my face. It is a great product to use during winter. I also don't even want to put foundation on because the glow in my face is enough." —<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=496346.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=10002&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Freviews.sephora.com%252F8723abredes%252F6611600530%252Fprofile.htm&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">amadariaga</a>
Get a pack of 20 wipes from Sephora for <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=496346.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=719&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.sephora.com%252Falpha-beta-glow-pads-P282415%253FskuId%253D1325216%2526icid2%253Dproducts%252520grid%253Ap282415&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">$35</a>. (Cruelty-free and Peta certified.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I like that it gradually adds a tan. I've tried others that made my skin dark right away, leaving streaks and spots. But this doesn't leave streaks and looks natural. The smell is nice, too and isn't overpowering. I usually wait an hour between coats." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AF6S3FT6ZIL5DAMEZIH7QYNM55HA">melissa</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Banana-Boat-Self-Tanning-Lotion-Medium/dp/B00VK5S2P4/">$6</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "Best fake tanner ever! Been using it for about six years now. The ONLY tanner that doesn't make you orange, nor does it streak if you put it on as directed. Love love love. I know people have different skin types. I am on the more dry skin side so be sure to lotion religiously for BEST results." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AHSIEU5NPZUSCF7DNCOIGUWG2TEQ">Brittany Sortillon</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fake-Bake-FBF-12-Flawless-6-Ounce/dp/B0046VGPHQ/">$14</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I love this stuff! It is the closest product I have found that looks like a real tan. No orange tint. I have people comment on my 'tan' all the time...they have no idea it's from a tube. This is my third year buying it. Even my dermatologist thought I had been in the sun and was scolding me until I told her it was fake. She wanted to know what it was so she could tell her other patients who want a good fake tan product. I mix it with regular body lotion so it goes further." —<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fc%252Fyour-profile%253Fuser%253Dd205f11e8bc44deba9ece9d01309f9c2&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">Beaches109</a>
Get it from Nordstrom for <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fclinique-self-sun-body-tinted-lotion%252F3025447%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">$25</a>. Available in two shades.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I am someone who makes sure my tan is consistent every day and have tried product after product. This brand is not only organic, which is what caught my eye, but the color itself and how it applies is more than I could have asked for! Love, love, love it and will stick to this from here on out!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AH4LQEOLNJTJU2IFKVXLAEJY4FAQ">andrea barnes</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Skinerals-Organic-Sunless-Californium-Alternative/dp/B01N983MOY">$23</a>. Available in two shades. (Cruelty-free and vegan.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "It goes on smooth, not sticky, and is practically odor-free. Leaves a nice, even glow to your skin. For someone that works all day and runs around with three kids, it's nice to have a little pick-me-up! So many people are asking me, 'did you just get back from vacation?'" —<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fc%252Fyour-profile%253Fuser%253Dc99d1ec35b0b47c39e5033e766574db4&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">julsgrenz</a>
Get it from Nordstrom for <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fclarins-self-tanning-instant-gel%252F2786173%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">$38</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "This is an excellent tanning lotion. I have absolutely no streaks or anything! The color looks natural and even. It is not odor-free but it doesn't stink. In exchange for the tan it gives, I can deal with it. Plus you only need to use it once every four to five days. The photo I took is after one application, after about 24 hours. My legs were pasty white before. I would highly recommend this stuff!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AGTMNM75EUT4O7ZO2HCNOTWF4TVQ">Michelle H</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Daves-Tanner-Moisture-Included-Testimonials/dp/B002C6H84Q/">$27</a>. (Cruelty-free.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I use this lotion almost every day after I shower. People think I spend hours and hours in a tanning bed or out in the sun but in reality I just use this! It's my favorite. I've used it since high school and I always have a nice sun-kissed glow when I go out. The pump that was added to the bottle is so helpful. You don't have to deal with any pesky caps getting in the way or a mess of lotion everywhere." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AG6G7TZ2LOCGF4S34LGTZTVCJIWQ">Claudia</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jergens-Natural-Glow-Daily-Moisturizer/dp/B00GLS5DHU">$12</a>. Available in two shades.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I like it toooo much! 😍 The color is great, natural, fast, and easy to apply. Plus, it dries quickly. I used it for only two days and I got a good tan! 😀" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AF5TR7PRZRLPPBWXB6G5IDKPO7RA">Amazon Customer</a>
Get a pack of six from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LOreal-Paris-Sublime-Self-Tanning-Towelettes/dp/B000GG2HOU">$9</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I put this on at night and the next day I have a beautiful glow. It doesn't smudge or smear. The color looks really natural, not an orange color. I love it and will keep buying it." —<a href="https://macys.ugc.bazaarvoice.com/profiles/7129aa/7335210789/profile.htm">Deebaby1</a>
Get it from Macy's for <a href="https://www.macys.com/shop/product/dior-bronze-self-tanner-natural-glow-for-body-120-ml?ID=674203&amp;CategoryID=30078#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D6%26ruleId%3D65%26slotId%3D6%26kws%3Ddior%20bronzer%26searchType%3Dac%26ackws%3Ddior%20bron%26searchPass%3DallMultiMatchWithSpelling">$42</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I am very fair-skinned, so it's hard for me to find anything that looks natural on my skin when it comes to lotions and spray tans. 100% recommend this product. I've only been using it for two days and there is already a difference." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AH46GDVICYID3YH7EDCC6UZT2CLQ">Amazon Customer</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Moist-Hemp-Bronzing-Moisturizer-oz/dp/B01AVG7QEK/">$9</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "As someone who is really pale, I was apprehensive to try this. I'm not a fan of the orange color that often comes from sunless tanners, but the price was right so I decided to try it. I exfoliated before my shower and then applied post-shower. The first time I used it, I mixed two pumps of lotion and a dime-sized amount of the tanner. It was a nice even, natural color. I applied it again the next day to add more color (still mixing with lotion). It dried in about 20 minutes and I was able to wear leggings all day without it streaking. It does have the awful smell, but nothing you can do about that. It lasts about five days before needing another application." —<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fc%252Fyour-profile%253Fuser%253D5a4af4d0062a42c8bdbb27b592137a27&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">LMCDenver</a>
Get it from Nordstrom for <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=497449.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=8157&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fshop.nordstrom.com%252Fs%252Fkiehls-since-1851-sun-free-self-tanning-formula%252F2930317%253Forigin%253Dcategory-personalizedsort&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">$23</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I won't use anything else. This makes my fair skin beautiful and golden. Does not rub off on clothes or sheets." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AGLZNYZCHASHKT22KKHM3WXWVXEQ">TS</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tanceuticals-Self-Tanner-Tanning-Cosmeceuticals/dp/B01FCBAKIS/">$28</a>. (Cruelty-free and Peta certified.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "The best and I have been using since the '80s. This lotion provides sunscreen and keeps your skin soft. Plus, the smell is so nice!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AG2ERNBVWL3IGT6YZ6B3WESCMF5Q">DwR</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bain-Soleil-Sunscreen-Lotion-Tanner/dp/B000142AZ8">$13</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I do not like tanning outside because I'm too impatient. I want to be tan now, like every other teenager in South Georgia. I tanned myself about nine days ago and still look like I just spent five hours in the sun! Just make sure to hold it away from you by 12 inches or so." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AFE2HSFO4SVM74AVYPU6JR4Z4Q3Q">Jaeda!!</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Salon-Bronze-Airbrush-Tanning-System/dp/B0009RAX4W/">$13</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review</b>: "I've been using this brand for about six years. Even my doctors comment on my tan and think it's real. I use the spray to reach my back because I don't have help, and it works great." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AG74DEQK57M2DDA6EVG7B446ER4A">Ana</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/LOreal-Paris-ProPerfect-Airbrush-Self-Tanning/dp/B0039BCT56/?th=1">$9</a>. Available in two shades.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "At 31, I was really getting frustrated with my skin. I couldn't figure out what it needed, but I knew my wrinkles were getting deeper. The texture was gross, uneven. As you can see in my photo, all of my issues cleared up within two weeks of night and day use. My skin is firmer, the texture is smoother and much more even. My face just feels and looks good. The sunless tanner is a nice touch. It makes me glow...not orange at all, and not dark enough to make it seem unnatural." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AEUB2J3K7VPHXMVOAGYHPPV2RPYA">SallyReviews</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Olay-Total-Effects-Moisturizer-packaging/dp/B000NHYFCO">$17</a>.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I love these wipes. They are a bit expensive, but they are the only tanning product that works well on my very white skin without looking streaky or fake! Creates a nice looking, built-up tan that will vary depending on the shade of your skin. I was nervous to use on my face because my skin is VERY sensitive and prone to breakouts, but it was fine!" —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AH3YPRQWOPQ4UE2X6N7JYRBF5AJA">MarissaS</a>
Get the pack of eight from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kate-Somerville-360-Tanning-Towelettes-8/dp/B0028RBZWA">$48</a>. (Cruelty-free but owned by Unilever.)nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "I was afraid to wear shorts when the winter went away because I was so pasty. The price of this product compared to others and the amount given is so worth it. The smell is a tad overwhelming, but after one day I saw results. Greatest self-tanner I've ever used." —<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AGDZI2AK4LQTYI6QOMKSSSBX35OQ">Amazon Customer</a>
Get it from Amazon for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Kissed-Radiance-Medium-Gradual-Tanner/dp/B00DG8EZEK">$7</a>. Available in two shades.nonadult<b>Promising Review:</b> "This was so easy to use. I blended it with my hands, and it came clean-off from my palms after. No weird areas and no orange. I'm very pale, so it's crazy for me to go straight to tan in just a few minutes." —<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=496346.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=10002&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Freviews.sephora.com%252F8723abredes%252F1293253397%252Fprofile.htm&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">musikjunki</a>
Get it from Sephora for <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=yPKHhJU2qBg&amp;subid=0&amp;offerid=496346.1&amp;type=10&amp;tmpid=719&amp;RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.sephora.com%252Ftinted-self-tanning-body-mist-P286510%253FskuId%253D1302629%2526icid2%253Dproducts%252520grid%253Ap286510&amp;u1=Buzzfeedshoppingselftannersgarcia">$18</a>.nonadultnonadultThese Painful Photos Show Why You Shouldn't Mix Essential Oils And Sunhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/caseygueren/essential-oils-and-sun-do-not-mix?utm_term=4ldqpia
“It was my own damn fault. But every yogi that I’ve talked to has no clue that this could have happened.”

This is Elise Nguyen of Wisconsin, and she has a PSA for anyone who likes essential oils and the sun.

Her Facebook post on the topic has already been shared over 139,000 times since she posted it on April 16.

"I used a little bit of orange doTERRA oil right before [yoga] class to help calm me down," Nguyen told BuzzFeed Health. "And then after the class I honestly didn’t think anything of it and went tanning because I was going to a wedding in Jamaica."

About 24 hours later, she noticed what looked like hives. Her husband returned a new laundry detergent they just bought, thinking that might be the culprit.

But the reaction continued to get worse throughout the day, and by the following day she had blisters. Her friend mentioned that it looked like a chemical burn from oils, and that's when it all clicked.

Nguyen went to her primary care doctor, who confirmed that it was most likely a chemical burn.

"Turns out, there is a teeny tiny caution on the oil that states 'stay out of sunlight or UV rays for up to 12 hours after application' or something like that," Nguyen wrote in her Facebook post.

So if you know you're going to be out in the sun, skip the essential oils (or put them on at night).

And if the damage is already done and you're noticing a reaction, Madfes suggests dipping a paper towel in a bowl of whole milk with ice cubes, then applying that to the area for 5-10 minutes. "The protein in it is very soothing, and it will take some of the redness out," Madfes said.

Then head to your doctor, dermatologist, or nearest urgent care to have them take a look. They may recommend aspirin for the inflammation, antibiotic ointment, or prescription burn medicine.

Different areas of the body will heal from this at different rates, said Madfes; you can typically expect the face to start healing in about a week, the neck in about 7-10 days, and the arms and legs in about two weeks. The reaction typically leaves behind a darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation), which can last 3-6 months; so make sure to use plenty of sunscreen on the area, said Madfes. And don't freak out — it'll eventually go back to normal.

]]>Casey Guerenhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/caseygueren/essential-oils-and-sun-do-not-mixSat, 29 Apr 2017 09:01:03 -0400"It was my own damn fault. But every yogi that I've talked to has no clue that this could have happened."caseyguerennonadultHer Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/graetel.anderson/posts/10100850320518299?pnref=story">post</a> on the topic has already been shared over 139,000 times since she posted it on April 16.nonadult"I used a little bit of orange doTERRA oil right before [yoga] class to help calm me down," Nguyen told BuzzFeed Health. "And then after the class I honestly didn’t think anything of it and went tanning because I was going to a wedding in Jamaica."
About 24 hours later, she noticed what looked like hives. Her husband returned a new laundry detergent they just bought, thinking that might be the culprit.
But the reaction continued to get worse throughout the day, and by the following day she had blisters. Her friend mentioned that it looked like a chemical burn from oils, and that's when it all clicked.
Nguyen went to her primary care doctor, who confirmed that it was most likely a chemical burn.nonadultIt's called <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1119566-overview">phytophotodermatitis</a>, and it's often caused by oils from citrus fruits, though it can also be caused by other plants.
"It doesn't have to be in essential oil formulation," dermatologist <a href="http://dianemadfes.com/">Dr. Diane Madfes</a>, associate clinical professor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, told BuzzFeed Health. "It can just be the regular citrus — lemons, limes, and oranges."
So, yes, it can also be a painful result of enjoying citrus deliciousness outside, which is why it's sometimes referred to as <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/caseygueren/ouch-my-hands?utm_term=.evvE7KdPY#.iyExBPrAo">"margarita dermatitis."</a>nonadultNormally when you sweat, those salty drops eventually evaporate. "When using essential oils on top, you’re actually making a seal," said Madfes. "That may also be irritating to the skin."nonadult"I'm not blaming the company, it was my own damn fault. But every yogi that I've talked to has no clue that this could have happened," she wrote.nonadultAnd if the damage is already done and you're noticing a reaction, Madfes suggests dipping a paper towel in a bowl of whole milk with ice cubes, then applying that to the area for 5-10 minutes. "The protein in it is very soothing, and it will take some of the redness out," Madfes said.
Then head to your doctor, dermatologist, or nearest urgent care to have them take a look. They may recommend aspirin for the inflammation, antibiotic ointment, or prescription burn medicine.
Different areas of the body will heal from this at different rates, said Madfes; you can typically expect the face to start healing in about a week, the neck in about 7-10 days, and the arms and legs in about two weeks. The reaction typically leaves behind a darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation), which can last 3-6 months; so make sure to use plenty of sunscreen on the area, said Madfes. And don't freak out —&nbsp;it'll eventually go back to normal.nonadult"There were nights where I would lay in bed just trembling because it hurt so bad."
Luckily, Nguyen told us that it's finally starting to heal.nonadult"I initially posted it so just my friends could see it, and one of my friends said, 'Would you mind putting this as a public post so I can share it with more of my friends?'"
It's now been shared more than 139,000 times.nonadultOr else.nonadult18 Things Only People Who Hate Sunbathing Will Understandhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/remeepatel/things-youll-only-get-if-you-hate-sunbathing?utm_term=4ldqpia
Tanning with your friends = watching them sleep.

To which the usual response is:

You'd rather your friends sunbathe in their own time.

BECAUSE JUST LYING IN THE HOT ASS SUN MAKES NO GODDAMN SENSE.

And you just have far better things to do with your summer.

Remee Patel / BuzzFeed

]]>Remee Patelhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/remeepatel/things-youll-only-get-if-you-hate-sunbathingMon, 30 May 2016 11:12:10 -0400Tanning with your friends = watching them sleep.remeepatelnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultBecause hammocks are the shit. Anyone can get down with hammocks.nonadultThey hate it just as much as you do.nonadultWhich may or may not lead to you never going on holiday with your friends ever again.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultThis Swedish Fake Tan Company Is Being Accused Of Promoting Blackfacehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/victoriasanusi/they-want-melanin-so-bad?utm_term=4ldqpia
A spokesperson for Emmaatan told BuzzFeed News via email that they were unaware of any controversy surrounding the product.

Emma Patissier Alm, of Sweden, owns a tanning service called Emmaatan. Alm promotes her service heavily on Instagram.

Alm posted a comment on a now-deleted photo on Thursday in which she said she "didn't believe" the shade was racist, because "most of us have a pigment and uses it their own way".

It didn't do much to calm people down. Her Instagram account, which has over 16,000 followers, is now set to private.

]]>Victoria Sanusihttps://www.buzzfeed.com/victoriasanusi/they-want-melanin-so-badFri, 11 Mar 2016 08:19:37 -0500A spokesperson for Emmaatan told BuzzFeed News via email that they were unaware of any controversy surrounding the product.victoriasanusinonadultnonadultAll shades have sold out.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultYou've Probably Been Applying Sunscreen Wrong Your Entire Lifehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/kellyoakes/factor-50-4eva?utm_term=4ldqpia
You need to apply it half an hour before you go out AND as soon as you’re in the sun, if you’ll be out long enough to risk burning.

You might not be applying as much sunscreen as you should.

Today the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released new guidelines on the risks and benefits of exposure to sunlight.

We need exposure to sunlight to make Vitamin D, but getting too much sun increases the risk of skin cancer. The guidance warns that too much time spent in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer, and that there is no safe way to get a (real) tan.

Anthony Devlin / PA WIRE

The new NICE guidelines say sunscreen should be "reapplied liberally, frequently and according to the manufacturer's instructions". You also need to make sure you reapply it after being in the water – even if it claims to be water-resistant – and after towel-drying or sweating, or if it might have rubbed off.

And you probably know that you should be using more than you actually do.

If you don't apply enough, you will only be getting a fraction of the SPF on the bottle. Apparently the average amount needed to cover an adult and achieve the SPF on the bottle is "35 ml or 6 to 8 teaspoons of lotion".

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

According to NICE:

If someone plans to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice to exposed areas of skin: half an hour before, and again around the time they go out in the sun. This includes the face, neck and ears (and head if someone has thinning or no hair), but a wide-brimmed hat is better.

Yes, you read that right – you should be applying sunscreen twice. Before you go out, and then again as soon as you're in the sun.

And of course, reapplying it if it rubs off or if you go in the water etc.

*buys stocks in sunscreen manufacturers*

Myung Jung Kim / EMPICS Sports Photo Agency

They say that even if it's cool or cloudy, it's possible to get sunburnt at midday in the summer. And a "base tan" protecting you from harm is untrue – the skin damage resulting from any tan you have outweighs the slight protective effect.

The guidelines state that it's not possible to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight in the UK between the months of October and March. That's six months, aka HALF OF THE ENTIRE YEAR.

]]>Kelly Oakeshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/kellyoakes/factor-50-4evaTue, 09 Feb 2016 09:24:53 -0500You need to apply it half an hour before you go out AND as soon as you're in the sun, if you'll be out long enough to risk burning.kellyoakesnonadultToday the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng34/chapter/1-Recommendations">new guidelines</a> on the risks and benefits of exposure to sunlight.
We need exposure to sunlight to make Vitamin D, but getting too much sun increases the risk of skin cancer. The guidance warns that too much time spent in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer, and that there is no safe way to get a (real) tan.nonadultThe new NICE guidelines say sunscreen should be "reapplied liberally, frequently and according to the manufacturer's instructions". You also need to make sure you reapply it after being in the water – even if it claims to be water-resistant – and after towel-drying or sweating, or if it might have rubbed off.nonadultIf you don't apply enough, you will only be getting a fraction of the SPF on the bottle. Apparently the average amount needed to cover an adult and achieve the SPF on the bottle is "35 ml or 6 to 8 teaspoons of lotion".nonadultAccording to NICE:
<blockquote>If someone plans to be out in the sun long enough to risk burning, sunscreen needs to be applied twice to exposed areas of skin: half an hour before, and again around the time they go out in the sun. This includes the face, neck and ears (and head if someone has thinning or no hair), but a wide-brimmed hat is better.</blockquote>nonadultAnd of course, reapplying it if it rubs off or if you go in the water etc.
*buys stocks in sunscreen manufacturers*nonadultThey say that even if it's cool or cloudy, it's possible to get sunburnt at midday in the summer. And a "base tan" protecting you from harm is untrue – the skin damage resulting from any tan you have outweighs the slight protective effect.
"A suntan is a sign that skin has already been damaged," according to <a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2383280&amp;utm_source=Silverchair%20Information%20Systems&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=JAMA%3AOnlineFirst07%2F02%2F2015">the <i>Journal of the American Medical Association</i></a>. "And tanned skin can continue to be damaged when exposed to UV rays."nonadultThe guidelines state that it's not possible to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight in the UK between the months of October and March. That's six months, aka HALF OF THE ENTIRE YEAR.nonadultnonadultThe FDA Wants To Ban Teens From Tanning Bedshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/venessawong/the-fda-wants-to-ban-teens-from-tanning-beds?utm_term=4ldqpia

"The effects of exposure to UV radiation add up over one’s lifetime. Therefore, UV radiation exposure in youth and teenagers puts them at a greater risk for skin and eye damage later in life," according to the FDA. The agency said every year, tanning equipment produces more than 3,000 hospital emergency room cases.

The proposed rules would restrict use of sunlamp products to those ages 18 and older, and require sunlamp manufacturers and tanning facilities to improve the safety of these devices. Among the improvements required: making warnings easier to read, requiring an emergency off switch, limiting the amount of light allowed through protective eyewear, improving labeling on bulbs, and prohibiting modifications like installing stronger bulbs without FDA recertification.

Some tanning businesses offer specials for high school students.

More than 1.6 million minors indoor-tan each year, based the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from the Skin Cancer Foundation show less than half of teenagers use sunscreen, and 37% of white females and over 11% of white males between 13 and 19 years old in the U.S. have used tanning booths.

The FDA estimates there are at least 18,000 indoor tanning salons and between 15,000 and 20,000 other facilities like health clubs and spas that offer tanning services in the U.S.

Tanning drew attention a few years ago when a New Jersey mother faced a grand jury after bringing her 5-year-old daughter to a tanning salon, where the girl was burned on her legs. The grand jury eventually declined to indict the mother; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie later signed the "Tan Mom Law" that banned children under 17 from using commercial tanning beds.

]]>Venessa Wonghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/venessawong/the-fda-wants-to-ban-teens-from-tanning-bedsFri, 18 Dec 2015 11:18:51 -0500Despite the health risks, 1.6 million minors use indoor tanning beds each year.venessawongnonadult
<p><img src="https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2015-12/18/10/enhanced/webdr01/enhanced-mid-20929-1450451625-14.jpg" width="720" height="482" alt="" /></p>
<p><small>Vidmantas Goldbergas / Getty Images</small></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm477434.htm?source=govdelivery&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a> proposed new rules on Friday that would prohibit people younger than 18 from using tanning equipment such as beds and booths. Eleven states and Washington, D.C., already ban the use of tanning beds for all minors under 18, according to the <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/indoor-tanning-restrictions.aspx">National Conference of State Legislatures</a>.</p><p>"The effects of exposure to UV radiation add up over one&rsquo;s lifetime. Therefore, UV radiation exposure in youth and teenagers puts them at a greater risk for skin and eye damage later in life," according to <a href="http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm350790.htm">the FDA</a>. The agency said every year, tanning equipment produces <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/ucm116447.htm">more than 3,000 hospital emergency room cases</a>.<br /></p><p>The <a href="http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm350790.htm">proposed rules</a> would restrict use of sunlamp products to those ages 18 and older, and require sunlamp manufacturers and tanning facilities to improve the safety of these devices. Among the improvements required: making warnings easier to read, requiring an emergency off switch, limiting the amount of light allowed through protective eyewear, improving labeling on bulbs, and prohibiting modifications like installing stronger bulbs without FDA recertification.</p>
<h1>Some tanning businesses offer specials for high school students.</h1>
<iframe src="https://instagram.com/p/7npD5ZONNt/embed/" height="710" width="612" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" ></iframe>
<p><small><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://instagram.com/p/7npD5ZONNt/#author_southbeachtanningmacomb">Instagram: @southbeachtanningmacomb</a></small></p>
<p>More than 1.6 million minors indoor-tan each year, based the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted by the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/overview.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>. Data from the <a href="http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/tanning/quick-facts-about-teen-tanning">Skin Cancer Foundation</a> show less than half of teenagers use sunscreen, and 37% of white females and over 11% of white males between 13 and 19 years old in the U.S. have used tanning booths.<br /></p><p>The FDA estimates there are at least 18,000 indoor tanning salons and between 15,000 and 20,000 other facilities like health clubs and spas that offer tanning services in the U.S.</p><p>Tanning drew attention a few years ago when a <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/26/justice/new-jersey-tanning-case/">New Jersey mother</a> faced a grand jury after bringing her 5-year-old daughter to a tanning salon, where the girl was burned on her legs. The grand jury eventually declined to indict the mother; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie later <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/02/tan-mom-law-new-jersey_n_3000059.html">signed the "Tan Mom Law"</a> that banned children under 17 from using commercial tanning beds.</p>
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<p><br /></p>
<p><small></small></p>
nonadultnonadultnonadult19 Struggles Only Former Teenage Fake Tanners Knowhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/struggles-only-former-teenage-fake-tanners-know?utm_term=4ldqpia
Johnson’s Holiday Skin for life.

Your first experience of fake tan probably came from a bottle of Johnson's Holiday Skin or Garnier Summer Body.

You either sneaked into your mum's weekly Sainsbury's shop or bought it yourself from Boots in your lunch break.

But you didn't mind. You know that orange and streaky > pale.

]]>Tabatha Leggetthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/struggles-only-former-teenage-fake-tanners-knowFri, 04 Dec 2015 08:41:02 -0500Johnson's Holiday Skin for life.tabathaleggettnonadultYou either sneaked into your mum's weekly Sainsbury's shop or bought it yourself from Boots in your lunch break.nonadultYou probably used the cream and then topped up your legs with the spray-on stuff.nonadultAnd you know there's nothing as satisfying as using a brand-new tanning mitt for the first time.nonadultBut it never, ever worked.nonadultFor some reason, the tan really built up there. Every. Single. Time.nonadultEven when you remembered to use your mitt, you somehow managed to do a messy job of it.nonadultNo matter how well you exfoliated before, and no matter how thoroughly you moisturised after, you always ended up with patchy wrists.nonadultnonadultIt was usually on your neck or just under your hairline.nonadultNot to mention the fact that fake tan on bedsheets smells like a combination of digestive biscuits and wee.nonadultNo matter how many times your mum put them through the wash, they never looked the same after you smeared your tan over them.nonadultIt's not your fault there are bits you can't reach.nonadultWhich was actually quite embarrassing because you had to wear paper pants and no bra while a total stranger sprayed every inch of your body in orange.nonadultYour parents were convinced you'd ruined their bathroom forever.nonadultIt looked like dirt, but it was only tan. Which was much better.nonadultnonadultUnless you're into having a mottled water pattern imprinted on your skin.nonadultIt took at least a week until your tan had completely disappeared.nonadultAnd although you look back at your fake-tan phase and laugh, you know you'll always be a tanner at heart.nonadultGingers Get Spray Tans For The First Timehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/kennymoffitt/gingers-get-spray-tans-for-the-first-time?utm_term=4ldqpia
“I’ve never seen a tan red head in the wild before.”

]]>Kenny Moffitthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/kennymoffitt/gingers-get-spray-tans-for-the-first-timeSun, 23 Aug 2015 11:01:04 -0400"I've never seen a tan red head in the wild before."kennymoffittnonadult23 Sunscreen Fails That Are Way Too Realhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/ryancreed/photos-that-prove-applying-sunscreen-is-an-actual-art?utm_term=4ldqpia
Practice makes perfect!

Tanning is big business. There are 14,000 indoor tanning outfits in the United States, and about 10% of Americans visit one every year. (One study of big cities found that indoor tanning salons outnumber Starbucks and McDonald's.) The annual economic impact of the tanning industry is an estimated $5 billion.

"The tanning salons promote these myths about the safety of tanning," Carolyn Heckman of Fox Chase Cancer Center told BuzzFeed News. "They use a lot of strategies similar to the tobacco industry, in terms of trying to attract young people and get them hooked."

Here are the biggest myths to watch out for.

MYTH: A base tan is "nature's sunscreen."

Sunlight is a form of radiation. And when that radiation hits your skin, it can mutate the DNA in your skin cells. Period.

Sun damages your cells no matter what your skin color, though dark-skinned people get less damage than the light-skinned. That's because dark skin has more of a pigment called melanin, which helps slow DNA damage.

When light-skinned people get a tan, it's because their skin has made more melanin in response to being hit by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. The photo above, taken with a camera that filters out all light except for UV, shows clusters of melanin (aka freckles) absorbing those rays.

"A suntan is a sign that skin has already been damaged," as a new JAMA article put it. "And tanned skin can continue to be damaged when exposed to UV rays."

Many websites and ads twist that idea, claiming that a suntan is "nature's sunscreen" — as if it blocks further damage.

"It makes no sense," Lindsey Bordone, a dermatologist at Columbia University, told BuzzFeed News. "That's like saying you're protecting yourself from lung cancer by putting a filter on a cigarette."

MYTH: Tanning doesn't cause the deadly kind of skin cancer.

Wrong. UV radiation is a known carcinogen. A history of excessive sun exposure is a risk factor for several common skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, as well as melanoma, which kills about 10,000 Americans each year.

Skin type and other genetic factors also play a role in cancer risk. But UV exposure causes up to 90% of all cases of melanoma, according to the surgeon general.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S., with an annual cost of $8 billion. It's also on the rise, which many experts attribute to our cultural obsession with tanning.

MYTH: Tanning is safe for kids and teens.

The earlier you start tanning, the higher your lifetime risk of skin cancer.

Donna Regen, a retired copy editor from Allen, Texas, knows these stats all too well. Her daughter, Jaime, started going to the tanning salon around age 14. When Donna found out, she went into the salon with Jaime to ask if it was safe for someone so young. "I was told, 'Oh, absolutely, because of her fair skin she needs to go to tanning beds to get a base tan'," Regen told BuzzFeed News.

Jaime kept going tanning, usually every day. When she was 20, she was diagnosed with melanoma, and when she was 29, it killed her.

"We don't have any family history of it," said Regen, who is now an anti-tanning activist. The doctors told her that the tanning beds had likely spurred the cancer.

MYTH: Only UVB rays are bad for you, and UVA rays are no biggie.

The sun's radiation hits our skin in two kinds of rays: UVA and UVB.

UVB rays have shorter wavelengths, which means they have more energy and are more damaging to the top layers of skin cells. Scientists used to think that only UVB rays increased the risk of cancer and premature aging. But more recent research shows that UVA rays are also harmful.

MYTH: You don't have to worry if you use newer models of tanning beds.

Sorry, but no. This review of 31 studies of tanning bed use compared melanoma risk before and after 2000 — and found no difference.

What's more, last year the FDA decided that tanning beds should be recategorized as "class II" medical devices, which have moderate health risks, instead of low-risk "class I" that they were before.

"Now they essentially have to have a black box warning," Darren Mays, a cancer prevention expert at Georgetown University Medical Center, told BuzzFeed News. The warning must say that tanning lamps shouldn't be used by people under 18 years old, and that people with repeat exposure should be evaluated for cancer.

MYTH: If you don't burn you won't be at risk of cancer.

A sunburn is a visible sign of your skin's inflammatory response to UV damage. But the sun's rays can damage your skin regardless of whether you burn.

A history of sunburns is a well-known risk factor for cancer, but it's not required. In May, a study of indoor tanners found that there is a link between tanning and melanoma even among people who said they had never had a sunburn.

MYTH: Tanning is a fantastic source of vitamin D.

Yes, it's true that your body produces vitamin D in response to sun exposure. (Specifically, vitamin D production is triggered by UVB rays — which aren't used in most tanning beds!) And yes, getting enough vitamin D is important for building strong bones and a robust immune system.

But here's the thing: Tanning isn't necessarily a great source of vitamin D. "The amount of outdoor sun exposure needed for meaningful vitamin D production depends on many factors, including time of day, time of year, latitude, altitude, weather conditions, a person’s skin type, amount of skin exposed to the sun" and other factors, the surgeon general says.

Plus, there are lots of other ways to get your vitamin D — without the skin cancer risk. Fatty fish, egg yolks, and calf liver are all high in vitamin D, as are fortified milk, yogurt, juices. If you're really concerned about low vitamin D, you can also try a dietary supplement.

MYTH: Tanning decreases your risk of cancer because of vitamin D.

MYTH: Tanning will help you lose weight.

This is one of the strangest tanning myths out there. The idea is that light rays stimulate your thyroid hormone, somehow causing weight loss.

"I have never in my life heard this," said Bordone, the Columbia dermatologist. "It'd be much smarter to just go walking."

Al Grillo / ASSOCIATED PRESS

MYTH: Sunscreen is toxic.

The ingredients of most sunscreens have been on the market for decades, and there's little evidence that they are unsafe.

If you hear about "toxic" or "poisonous" sunscreen, it's probably concerning products that contain oxybenzone, a chemical that protects your skin by absorbing UV rays. There are some studies (though far from conclusive) suggesting that oxybenzone affects your hormones.

If you're worried about these potential risks, however small, Bordone suggests choosing sunscreens that instead contain metals — usually titanium dioxide or zinc oxide — which are often found in products meant for babies. Rather than being absorbed by your skin, these sunscreens sit on top of your skin and reflect the sun's rays.

PUNIT PARANJPE / Getty Images

MYTH: Tanning doesn't accelerate wrinkles.

The best refutation of this myth comes from a medical case study published in 2012.

A 69-year-old man, pictured above, was a delivery truck driver for 28 years. Because UVA rays can pass through windows, the left side of his face became far more wrinkled than the right side.

"If I could offer you only one tip for the future..."

]]>Virginia Hugheshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/virginiahughes/outrageous-tanning-mythsSat, 11 Jul 2015 09:44:57 -0400Don't fall for the vast "base tan" conspiracy.virginiahughesnonadultnonadultTanning is big business. There are <a href="http://theita.com/?page_id=639">14,000 indoor tanning outfits</a> in the United States, and about 10% of Americans visit one every year. (One <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19215849">study</a> of big cities found that indoor tanning salons outnumber Starbucks and McDonald's.) The annual economic impact of the tanning industry is an estimated <a href="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/MedicalDevices/MedicalDevicesAdvisoryCommittee/GeneralandPlasticSurgeryDevicesPanel/UCM205687.pdf">$5 billion</a>.
Unsurprisingly, the tanning industry produces a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20138395">whole lot of marketing</a> — through websites, social media, emails, and even <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25981012">text messages</a>. And it's <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2010/01/indoor-tanning-association-settles-ftc-charges-it-deceived">gotten in hot water</a> with the federal government for making <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4199829/">false and deceptive claims</a>.
"The tanning salons promote these myths about the safety of tanning," Carolyn Heckman of Fox Chase Cancer Center told BuzzFeed News. "They use a lot of strategies similar to the tobacco industry, in terms of trying to attract young people and get them hooked."
Here are the biggest myths to watch out for.nonadultSunlight is a form of radiation. And when that radiation hits your skin, it can mutate the DNA in your skin cells. Period.
Sun damages your cells no matter what your skin color, though dark-skinned people get less damage than the light-skinned. That's because dark skin has more of a pigment called melanin, which helps slow DNA damage.
When light-skinned people get a tan, it's because their skin has made more melanin in response to being hit by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. The photo above, taken with a camera that filters out all light except for UV, shows clusters of melanin (aka freckles) absorbing those rays.
"A suntan is a sign that skin has already been damaged," as a new <a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2383280&amp;utm_source=Silverchair%20Information%20Systems&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=JAMA%3AOnlineFirst07%2F02%2F2015"><i>JAMA</i> article</a> put it. "And tanned skin can continue to be damaged when exposed to UV rays."
Many websites and ads twist that idea, claiming that a suntan is "nature's sunscreen" — as if it blocks further damage.
"It makes no sense," Lindsey Bordone, a dermatologist at Columbia University, told BuzzFeed News. "That's like saying you're protecting yourself from lung cancer by putting a filter on a cigarette."nonadultWrong. UV radiation is a <a href="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/content/profiles/ultravioletradiationrelatedexposures.pdf">known carcinogen</a>. A history of excessive sun exposure is a risk factor for several common skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, as well as melanoma, which <a href="http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/melan.html">kills about 10,000 Americans</a> each year.
Skin type and other genetic factors also play a role in cancer risk. But UV exposure <a href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/prevent-skin-cancer/exec-summary.html">causes up to 90%</a> of all cases of melanoma, according to the surgeon general.
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S., with an annual cost of $8 billion. It's also on the rise, which many experts <a href="http://www.livescience.com/8308-skin-cancer-rise.html">attribute</a> to our cultural obsession with tanning.nonadultThe earlier you start tanning, the higher your <a href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/prevent-skin-cancer/exec-summary.html">lifetime risk</a> of skin cancer.
Donna Regen, a retired copy editor from Allen, Texas, knows these stats all too well. Her daughter, Jaime, started going to the tanning salon around age 14. When Donna found out, she went into the salon with Jaime to ask if it was safe for someone so young. "I was told, 'Oh, absolutely, because of her fair skin she needs to go to tanning beds to get a base tan'," Regen told BuzzFeed News.
Jaime kept going tanning, usually every day. When she was 20, she was diagnosed with melanoma, and when she was 29, it killed her.
"We don't have any family history of it," said Regen, who is now an <a href="http://melanoma-mama.blogspot.com/">anti-tanning activist</a>. The doctors told her that the tanning beds had likely spurred the cancer.nonadultBasal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are fairly common, and they usually don't lead to death. But they can cause ugly red and brown lesions that typically need to be surgically removed.
Bordone, the Columbia University dermatologist, cited one patient who tans year-round. "Every month we're carving out something on his body or face," she said. "He looks deformed now."nonadultThe sun's radiation hits our skin in two kinds of rays: UVA and UVB.
UVB rays have shorter wavelengths, which means they have more energy and are more damaging to the top layers of skin cells. Scientists used to think that only UVB rays increased the risk of cancer and premature aging. But more recent research shows that UVA rays are <a href="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/content/profiles/ultravioletradiationrelatedexposures.pdf">also harmful</a>.
In fact, studies of indoor tanning — which uses mostly UVA rays — have found that it greatly increases the risk of both <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24629998">melanoma</a> and <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e5909">non-melanoma skin cancers</a>.nonadultSorry, but no. This <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24629998">review</a> of 31 studies of tanning bed use compared melanoma risk before and after 2000 — and found no difference.
What's more, last year the FDA decided that tanning beds should be <a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm399222.htm">recategorized</a> as "class II" medical devices, which have moderate health risks, instead of low-risk "class I" that they were before.
"Now they essentially have to have a black box warning," Darren Mays, a cancer prevention expert at Georgetown University Medical Center, told BuzzFeed News. The warning must say that tanning lamps shouldn't be used by people under 18 years old, and that people with repeat exposure should be evaluated for cancer.nonadultA sunburn is a visible sign of your skin's inflammatory response to UV damage. But the sun's rays can damage your skin regardless of whether you burn.
A history of sunburns is a well-known risk factor for cancer, but it's not required. In May, a <a href="http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/106/6/dju112.full">study</a> of indoor tanners found that there is a link between tanning and melanoma even among people who said they had <i>never</i> had a sunburn.nonadultYes, it's true that your body produces vitamin D in response to sun exposure. (Specifically, vitamin D production is <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/">triggered by UVB rays</a> — which <i>aren't</i> used in most tanning beds!) And yes, getting enough vitamin D is important for building strong bones and a robust immune system.
But here's the thing: Tanning isn't necessarily a great source of vitamin D. "The amount of outdoor sun exposure needed for meaningful vitamin D production depends on many factors, including time of day, time of year, latitude, altitude, weather conditions, a person’s skin type, amount of skin exposed to the sun" and other factors, the surgeon general <a href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/prevent-skin-cancer/exec-summary.html">says</a>.
Plus, there are lots of other ways to get your vitamin D — without the skin cancer risk. Fatty fish, egg yolks, and calf liver are all high in vitamin D, as are fortified milk, yogurt, juices. If you're really concerned about low vitamin D, you can also try a dietary supplement.nonadultUhh, no. See above.nonadultThis is one of the strangest tanning myths out there. The idea is that light rays stimulate your thyroid hormone, somehow causing weight loss.
"I have never in my life heard this," said Bordone, the Columbia dermatologist. "It'd be much smarter to just go walking."nonadultThe ingredients of most sunscreens have been on the market for decades, and there's little evidence that they are unsafe.
If you hear about "toxic" or "poisonous" sunscreen, it's probably concerning products that contain oxybenzone, a chemical that protects your skin by absorbing UV rays. There are some studies (though <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2013/06/choosing_sunscreen_for_your_kids_organic_or_mineral_spf_30_or_50_spray_or.html">far from conclusive</a>) suggesting that oxybenzone affects your hormones.
If you're worried about these potential risks, however small, Bordone suggests choosing sunscreens that instead contain metals — usually titanium dioxide or zinc oxide — which are often found in products meant for babies. Rather than being absorbed by your skin, these sunscreens sit on top of your skin and reflect the sun's rays.nonadultThe best refutation of this myth comes from a medical <a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm1104059">case study</a> published in 2012.
A 69-year-old man, pictured above, was a delivery truck driver for 28 years. Because UVA rays can pass through windows, the left side of his face became far more wrinkled than the right side.nonadultnonadultThe Dollars for Docs database does not contain information about financial relationships between doctors and consumer companies such as sunscreen manufacturers, as was implied in an earlier version of this post.nonadult19 Pictures That Are Way, Way Too Real For Every Girl During Summerhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/remeepatel/pictures-that-are-way-too-real-for-every-girl-during-summ?utm_term=4ldqpia
Cute top = bad tan lines.

And knowing that even a cloudy summer day means death, because the sun will REFLECT OFF THE CLOUDS AND ONTO YOUR FLESH.

Knowing that you're not even safe from sunburns in a car on your summer road trip.

Let's roll the windows all the way up and also try to fit inside the glove compartment, where it's dark and safe.

Columbia Pictures

Insisting that you ARE tan because your skin has turned one-quarter of a shade darker than it was in winter.

I went from "heavy cream" to "zesty mayo," so excuse you.

Warner Bros.

Seriously thinking about investing in a full-face visor.

Or a full suit of armor, tbh.

Rolling Stone

]]>Alex Alvarezhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/alexalvarez/if-you-need-me-ill-be-insideFri, 29 May 2015 11:31:07 -0400<b>Wake me up when autumn arrives.</b>alexalvareznonadultMight as well be drinking it. Damn.nonadultOh, did it spill all over my beach bag? Cool, cool.nonadultForgot to put sunscreen on the tops of my ears and now the tops of my ears are made of lava.nonadultWhat's red and white and tired of this joke?nonadultAaaaaah!nonadultSummer picnics are fun! And I'll be under this rock if you need me.nonadultOrange you glad you tanned?nonadultOne sec, let me just put on my beach coat.nonadultWe're gonna need a bigger hat.nonadultSPF 1,892. Perfect.nonadultMmmm. That artificial coconut scent. ALL. SUMMER. LONG.nonadultWhat part of "I CANNOT" do people not understand?nonadultSorry, I left my personal paint roller at home.nonadult*Places one hand on window while peering longingly at all the summer fun*
*Quickly takes hand away from window so it doesn't get burnt*nonadultNo, I'm fine; I can enjoy the beach without seeing it.nonadultShoulda worn a hat. Every hat. All the hats.nonadultIt's like Captain America's shield, except for people who are the color of milk.nonadultMY EYES. MY SKIN. MY PALE, PALE SKIN!nonadultIt burrrns!nonadultLet's roll the windows all the way up and also try to fit inside the glove compartment, where it's dark and safe.nonadultI went from "heavy cream" to "zesty mayo," so <i>excuse you</i>.nonadultOr a full suit of armor, tbh.nonadult17 Horrifically Sad Sunburnshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/epic-tanning-fails?utm_term=4ldqpia
A CAUTIONARY TALE.

Who cares about long-term side effects?

It's just your health. Big whoop.

Besides, sunscreen is so lame.

Sooooo lame.

Don't even bother.

It's not worth it.

]]>Jarry Leehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jarrylee/psa-just-wear-sunscreen-alreadyThu, 21 May 2015 16:43:06 -0400<strong>Don't even bother.</strong>jarryleenonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultA Woman With Skin Cancer Posted A Graphic Selfie To Warn Against Tanninghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/carolynkylstra/skin-cancer-treatment?utm_term=4ldqpia
Tawny Willoughby, a 27-year-old from Alabama, shared a picture on Facebook showing what skin cancer treatment can potentially look like. The picture has since been shared by nearly 50,000 people. WARNING: Some may find the image disturbing.

Back in April, Willoughby was undergoing a round of skin cancer treatment and shared this selfie on Facebook to warn people about the dangers of tanning beds.

Willoughby writes that she has received numerous treatments for her multiple cancers: a cream called Aldara (imiquimod) is what caused the scabbing in her picture; she's also had curettage and electrodessication; cryosurgery; surgical excision; and photodynamic therapy.

She writes: "If anyone needs a little motivation to not lay in the tanning bed and sun here ya go! This is what skin cancer treatment can look like."

Willoughby says that she used to do indoor tanning a lot in high school: "I probably laid an average of 4-5 times a week," she says. As the mother of a 2-year-old, she writes that the issue of tanning is even more serious to her now: "Don't let tanning prevent you from seeing your children grow up. That's my biggest fear now that I have a two year old little boy of my own."

The World Health Organization recently added ultraviolet (UV) radiation-emitting tanning devices, like tanning beds and lamps, to the list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation. People who use tanning beds under the age of 30 increase their risk of melanoma by 75%. They're also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (other forms of skin cancer). Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, but the other cancers can kill also.

.shock / Getty Images

Her picture has now been shared almost 50,000 times. After the picture began to gain in popularity, someone reported it to Facebook for containing graphic violence. But in spite of the complaints, it hasn't been removed.

Here are some tips to help you stay safe and healthy when it comes to skin cancer:

1. Don't use tanning beds. If you currently use them, stop.

2. Wear a hat and cover-up clothing when you're going to be in the sun to protect yourself as much as possible. And apply broad-spectrum sunscreen the right way — 15 minutes before you're planning to be in the sun. Reapply according to what it says on the bottle.

3. Pay attention to what your skin looks like, and keep an eye on anything new or suspicious that comes up. That includes moles (which most people know about), but it doesn't HAVE to be moles. In fact, Willoughby says that only one of her skin cancers was from a mole. She writes: "Skin cancer is not always moles, only one of mine have been a mole. Get any suspicious, new and growing spot checked out. Anything that doesn't heal, possibly bleeds on and off and crusts. The sooner you find it the less likely it will leave a disfiguring scar or grow deep enough to metastasize. Melanoma kills, non melanoma disfigures (and can also kill). Don't be a statistic!" Here are tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation on what to look for when you're giving yourself a check.

4. Talk to your doctor about how often you need to get a full-body skin check.

Ridofranz / Getty Images

BuzzFeed Life reached out to Willoughby for comment.

]]>Carolyn Kylstrahttps://www.buzzfeed.com/carolynkylstra/skin-cancer-treatmentTue, 12 May 2015 15:05:15 -0400<b>Tawny Willoughby, a 27-year-old from Alabama, shared a picture on Facebook showing what skin cancer treatment can potentially look like.</b> The picture has since been shared by nearly 50,000 people. WARNING: Some may find the image disturbing.carolynkylstranonadultWilloughby, a registered nurse in Alabama, says she has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma five times, and squamous cell carcinoma once. She wrote on Facebook that she goes to the dermatologist every 6 to 12 months, and she usually has a skin cancer removed at each checkup.nonadultWilloughby writes that she has received numerous treatments for her multiple cancers: a cream called Aldara (imiquimod) is what caused the scabbing in her picture; she's also had curettage and electrodessication; cryosurgery; surgical excision; and photodynamic therapy.nonadultWilloughby says that she used to do indoor tanning a lot in high school: "I probably laid an average of 4-5 times a week," she says. As the mother of a 2-year-old, she writes that the issue of tanning is even more serious to her now: "Don't let tanning prevent you from seeing your children grow up. That's my biggest fear now that I have a two year old little boy of my own."
The World Health Organization recently added ultraviolet (UV) radiation-emitting tanning devices, like tanning beds and lamps, to the list of the most dangerous forms of cancer-causing radiation. People who use tanning beds under the age of 30 increase their risk of melanoma by 75%. They're also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma (other forms of skin cancer). Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, but the other cancers can kill also.nonadultnonadult<b>1. Don't use tanning beds.</b> If you currently use them, stop.
<b>2. Wear a hat and cover-up clothing when you're going to be in the sun</b> to protect yourself as much as possible. And apply broad-spectrum sunscreen the right way — 15 minutes before you're planning to be in the sun. Reapply according to what it says on the bottle.
<b>3. Pay attention to what your skin looks like, and keep an eye on anything new or suspicious that comes up.</b> That includes moles (which most people know about), but it doesn't HAVE to be moles. In fact, Willoughby says that only one of her skin cancers was from a mole. She writes: "Skin cancer is not always moles, only one of mine have been a mole. Get any suspicious, new and growing spot checked out. Anything that doesn't heal, possibly bleeds on and off and crusts. The sooner you find it the less likely it will leave a disfiguring scar or grow deep enough to metastasize. Melanoma kills, non melanoma disfigures (and can also kill). Don't be a statistic!" <a href="http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/early-detection">Here are tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation on what to look for when you're giving yourself a check</a>.
<b>4. Talk to your doctor about how often you need to get a full-body skin check.</b>nonadultBuzzFeed Life reached out to Willoughby for comment.nonadult13 Strange Spring Break Photos You Won't Believe Actually Existhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikerose/strange-spring-break-photos-you-wont-believe-actually-exi?utm_term=4ldqpia
What happens on spring break stays on spring break!

]]>Mike Rosehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mikerose/strange-spring-break-photos-you-wont-believe-actually-exiWed, 25 Mar 2015 14:21:09 -0400<b>What happens on spring break stays on spring break!</b>mikerosenonadultnonadultnonadultA Group Of People Thought They Were Being Given Free Tans, But Instead Got The Shock Of Their Liveshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/abagg/these-people-were-given-the-shock-of-their-lives-when-a-free?utm_term=4ldqpia
Would you get a fake tan knowing that tanning beds have the same cancer rating as Plutonium, cigarettes, and asbestos?

People continue to ignore the risks associated with indoor tanning, so Free Killer Tan decided to do something drastic.

Free Killer Tan works with Mollie's Fund, a non-profit melanoma organization created in memory of Mollie Biggane, who died of skin cancer at the age of 20. Their goal is to save lives through increased awareness about melanoma prevention.

Their plan was to offer free tans to people in Times Square...

...Set up a fake tanning salon called Vitamin Sun, and open for business.

Pretty safe to say that these people will think twice before going for an indoor tan again.

]]>Allison Bagghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/abagg/these-people-were-given-the-shock-of-their-lives-when-a-freeThu, 05 Feb 2015 19:13:46 -0500<b>Would you get a fake tan knowing that tanning beds have the same cancer rating as Plutonium, cigarettes, and asbestos?</b>abaggnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadult9 People Who Simply Tanned Too Hardhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/people-who-tanned-too-hard
Be careful out there this weekend!

]]>Whitney Jeffersonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/people-who-tanned-too-hardThu, 03 Jul 2014 13:46:56 -0400<b>Be careful out there this weekend!</b>whitneyjeffersonnonadultAt VH1 Divas in 2004 and at TRL in 2003.nonadultNovember 2008 and in December of 2013.nonadultAt the 2003 MTV Movie Awards and in 2010.nonadultAt the 2009 SpikeTV Awards and in April 2014nonadultIn 2013 and then 2014.nonadultAt the premiere of "Mean Girls" in April and at TRL in October of 2004.nonadultMay 2006, May 2014.nonadultIn 2002 and in May of 2013.nonadultAt the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, November 2004.nonadult24 People Who Just Should Stop Trying To Be Tanhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/analuisa1234/24-people-who-just-should-stop-trying-to-be-tan-fxd2
Seriously, that burn can’t be good for you.

"Jams"

"Outdoors"

Used to mean: A mythical land that possibly exists beyond your apartment walls. Maybe. Who can really say?Now means: The spectacular thing that makes you question all the time you spent binge-watching Netflix shows in a snuggie.

"Sunburn"

"Tan"

Used to mean: A flattering golden hue. Now means: A standard you desperately try to live up to, but always mess up because a.) you thought wearing a t-shirt was a good idea or b) your skin cannot compromise between "ghost white" and "fire engine red".

"Jorts"

"Commute"

Used to mean: How you get to work every morning and the subject of at least five minutes of daily conversation.Now means: The hellish experience that involves bare thighs uncomfortably sticking to leather car seats and plastic subway benches.

"Heat Wave"

"Pool"

Used to mean: An artificial, heavily-chlorinated body of water shared by the community or in a rich person's backyard.Now means: Something you may have strong opinions about (re: kids peeing in the water) but that you probably will run to the first chance you get.

"Beach"

Used to mean: A peaceful sandy shore surrounded by salt water.Now means: A place you are willing to travel 2+ hours for and have high expectations for every time, despite always worrying about parking spots, blanket spots, and seagull poop.

"Instagram"

Used to mean: An app on your phone that you use once in a while to document the events in your life in a pretty way.Now means: An app on your phone that you'll never stop using because OMG EVERYTHING IS SO IDYLLIC AND SERENE AND NEEDS THE "SIERRA" FILTER.

"Mosquito Bites"

Used to mean: The itchy aftermath of a small, blood-sucking insect coming in contact with your skin. Now means: A grave injustice that you rant about frequently because WHY WHY WHY do mosquitos have to exist? (Like spiders make sense because they kill flies but literally what good do mosquitos do???)

]]>Julia Pugachevskyhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/juliapugachevsky/words-that-have-a-totally-different-meaning-when-its-summWed, 28 May 2014 14:08:11 -0400<b>#jorts</b>juliapugachevskynonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> An elite group of acquaintances who make you feel a little bad about your own personal finances and overall success.
<b>Now means:</b> FREE WEEKEND AT THE HAMPTONS!!!nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Tiny canned fruit preserves.
<b>Now means:</b> The songs you can&#39;t live without for the next three months (see: "Problem", "Chandelier" and "Fancy".)nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> The people you feel comfortable having around if you&#39;re in a large body of water and your leg suddenly cramps up or something.
<b>Now means:</b> A mysteriously attractive and physically superior portion of the population that. You. Can&#39;t. Stop. STARING. AT.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A mythical land that possibly exists beyond your apartment walls. Maybe. Who can really say?
<b>Now means:</b> The spectacular thing that makes you question all the time you spent binge-watching Netflix shows in a snuggie.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Something you dreaded looking at for fear of rain, or, if you lived in the East Coast this year, snowstorms on top of more snowstorms.
<b>Now means:</b> Beautiful, 87-degree consistency.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Footwear you wouldn&#39;t be caught dead in.
<b>Now means:</b> But...they&#39;re so convenient!nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> H2O, or the chemical compound that is necessary for all life as we know it.
<b>Now means:</b> LITERALLY EVERYTHING. YOU WILL NEVER LET IT GO.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A chilled, sweetened drink of tea and possibly other flavoring.
<b>Now means:</b> Remember when you thought water was the essence of life? You were wrong. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> The release of a salty liquid from your glands when you exercise, or are a little nervous.
<b>Now means:</b> The absolute bane of your existence.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Something really bad for your skin but luckily an occurrence that only ever happens to other, dumb people who don&#39;t wear sunscreen.
<b>Now means:</b> GODDAMMIT, NOOOOOOnonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A flattering golden hue.
<b>Now means:</b> A standard you desperately try to live up to, but always mess up because a.) you thought wearing a t-shirt was a good idea or b) your skin cannot compromise between "ghost white" and "fire engine red".nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A frozen dairy treat!
<b>Now means:</b> Your entire diet.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Cut-off jean shorts you&#39;re not sure how to feel about.
<b>Now means:</b> A way of life.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> How you get to work every morning and the subject of at least five minutes of daily conversation.
<b>Now means:</b> The hellish experience that involves bare thighs uncomfortably sticking to leather car seats and plastic subway benches.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Something you daresay wish for when shoveling 6 inches worth of snow from your driveway.
<b>Now means:</b> The very thing that will end you.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> An artificial, heavily-chlorinated body of water shared by the community or in a rich person&#39;s backyard.
<b>Now means:</b> Something you may have strong opinions about (re: kids peeing in the water) but that you probably will run to the first chance you get.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A peaceful sandy shore surrounded by salt water.
<b>Now means:</b> A place you are willing to travel 2+ hours for and have high expectations for every time, despite always worrying about parking spots, blanket spots, and seagull poop.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A pale brown granular substance typically found on beaches and in deserts.
<b>Now means:</b> The nightmare that is haunting your hair, clothes, purse...and possibly butt.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> A two-piece swimsuit.
<b>Now means:</b> A word you keep hearing in conjunction with "body", "diet" and "season", to a maddening degree.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> An app on your phone that you use once in a while to document the events in your life in a pretty way.
<b>Now means:</b> An app on your phone that you&#39;ll never stop using because OMG EVERYTHING IS SO IDYLLIC AND SERENE AND NEEDS THE "SIERRA" FILTER.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> The itchy aftermath of a small, blood-sucking insect coming in contact with your skin.
<b>Now means:</b> A grave injustice that you rant about frequently because WHY WHY WHY do mosquitos have to exist? (Like spiders make sense because they kill flies but literally what good do mosquitos do???)nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> Something you do holed up in your room or a tiny cafe.
<b>Now means:</b> Something you do in the glory that is THE SUN, making you indescribably happy.nonadult<b>Used to mean:</b> One of the four seasons in a year, characterized by extreme cold, icy roads, and general misery.
<b>Now means:</b> A dark time of your life that you&#39;re convinced will never repeat, because summer is finally here. &lt;3nonadult22 Things All People Who Hate The Sun Know To Be Truehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/things-all-people-who-hate-the-sun-know-to-be-true
Do they make hazmat beachwear?

But let's just set one thing straight. It's not that you don't like summer. It's just that you like to do it in the safest way possible.

]]>Leonora Epsteinhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/things-all-people-who-hate-the-sun-know-to-be-trueTue, 20 May 2014 16:56:26 -0400<b>Do they make hazmat beachwear?</b>leonoraepsteinnonadultnonadultYou&#39;re always covered.nonadultDespite the fact that anything after SPF 30 pretty much does the same job.nonadultnonadultnonadult<a href="http://www.sephora.com/instant-mineral-powder-spf-45-P235908?skuId=1165737">This is Peter Thomas Roth&#39;s translucent brush-on powder.</a>nonadultnonadultJust FYI, solar flares aren&#39;t dangerous to humans. But still: SCARY FLAME WAVES!nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultWait, is this for real? This looks sketch.nonadultnonadultThe latest are <a href="http://www.osmosisskincare.com/Assets/ProductImages/uv_neutralizer-l.jpg">these drops</a> you put in water. Nice idea ... but not buying it.nonadultnonadultYou can&#39;t just put the sunscreen on and step RIGHT INTO THE SUN. It needs to soak into the skin. Hello!nonadultBTW, found it: It&#39;s <a href="http://www.sephora.com/argan-daily-moisturizer-spf-47-P385679?skuId=1585256">Josie Maran&#39;s Argan Daily Moisturizer</a>. Only problem is that it&#39;s $32, which will become a new and dangerous monthly expense.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadult<a href="http://www.kikkerland.com/products/uv-tester/">This simple doo-dad</a> from Kikkerland tells you when UV levels are dangerous.nonadultBrb, picking up my wearable beach tent from the dry cleaners.nonadult17 Signs Warm Weather Isn't For Youhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hollandtacular/17-signs-warm-weather-isnt-for-you-fj1w
It’s getting hot in here, so let’s go hide inside where there’s air conditioning.

You constantly find yourself counting down the days until fall arrives.

But you know you secretly enjoy complaining about the weather in the end.

]]>Holland Bakerhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hollandtacular/17-signs-warm-weather-isnt-for-you-fj1wThu, 15 May 2014 15:32:17 -0400<strong>It&#39;s getting hot in here, so let&#39;s go hide inside where there&#39;s air conditioning.</strong>hollandtacularnonadultThis New Old Spice Video Is The Most Hilarious Internet Ad So Far This Yearhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/maycie/is-this-new-old-spice-video-the-most-hilarious-internet-ad-s
Wait for it.

Who wouldn't want to tan their bod while dancing?

Executive Spray Tan Parties is one of 8 fake products Old Spice created for their "Interneterventions" campaign. If you want to prank your friends, send them a link to one of the websites below. When they try to click anywhere on the site, a buzzer will sound, and Isaiah Mustafa will promptly give them a scolding.

Defying countless warnings from the FDA, dermatologists, and the World Health Organization, a group of tanning salon owners are banding together to try and convince the public that indoor tanning at professional salons is far safer than experts make it out to be. The American Suntanning Association, which was announced this week, wants to "factually dispel [the] myths" that tanning salons are dangerous and cancer-causing.

Doug McNabb, a board member of the newly-formed association, argues that the World Health Organization's numbers — which has said indoor tanning could increase skin cancer risk by 75% — are skewed to discredit professional tanning salons. He cites a presentation (unpublished) shown at a conference, which he says shows that the cancer risk is far higher with at-home tanning beds and with phototherapy machines at doctor's offices used to treat psoriasis, which he says make the professional salons look bad. He argues that the risk of skin cancer in professional tanning salons is "statistically insignificant." Unsurprisingly, McNabb owns a chain of tanning salons. They are called "Fabutan."

For the record: the American Suntanning Association is anti-Tan Mom. McNabb also believes her skin color wasn't merely the work of a tanning bed. "She was using high levels of bronzing makeup."

]]>Hillary Reinsberghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/hillaryreinsberg/new-association-of-tanning-salon-owners-argues-tanWed, 19 Dec 2012 08:26:05 -0500<b>One member says the risk of skin cancer in professional tanning salons is "statistically insignificant."</b>hillaryreinsbergnonadultnonadultDefying countless warnings from the FDA, dermatologists, and the World Health Organization, a group of tanning salon owners are banding together to try and convince the public that indoor tanning at professional salons is far safer than experts make it out to be. The American Suntanning Association, which was <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/indoor-tanning-salon-leaders-announce-formation-of-american-suntanning-association-183950991.html">announced this week</a>, wants to "factually dispel [the] myths" that tanning salons are dangerous and cancer-causing.
That'll be tough: both <a href="http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm186687.htm">the FDA</a> and the <a href="http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/news/20090728/who-tanning-beds-cause-cancer&amp;quot;">the World Health Organization</a> now classify indoor tanning as "carcinogenic to humans."
Doug McNabb, a board member of the newly-formed association, argues that the World Health Organization&#39;s numbers &mdash; which has said indoor tanning could increase skin cancer risk by 75% &mdash; are skewed to discredit professional tanning salons. He cites a presentation (unpublished) shown at a conference, which he says shows that the cancer risk is far higher with at-home tanning beds and with phototherapy machines at doctor&#39;s offices used to treat psoriasis, which he says make the professional salons look bad. He argues that the risk of skin cancer in professional tanning salons is "statistically insignificant." Unsurprisingly, McNabb owns a chain of tanning salons. They are called "Fabutan."
For the record: the American Suntanning Association is anti-Tan Mom. McNabb also believes her skin color wasn&#39;t merely the work of a tanning bed. "She was using high levels of bronzing makeup."nonadultHow Mitt Romney Gets So Tanhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/how-mitt-romney-gets-so-tan
A source lets BuzzFeed in on a campaign mystery: It’s a spray tan. “It’s not like Mitt Romney can go chill out on a beach right now; he needs a quick fix.”

Romney speaks a the Univision Candidates' Forum moderated in Miami on September 19.

Joe Raedle / Getty Images

It has been one of the running mysteries of the 2012 campaign trail: How Mitt Romney maintains the ruddy, glowing, and occasionally changing skin tone that helps him project an image of 65-year-old vigor.

A knowledgeable source tells BuzzFeed the answer is in a bit of cosmetic technology used commonly by celebrities: spray tanning. The Republican nominee has made a habit of spray tanning before major speeches, debates, interviews, and other events that have a chance of getting wide TV coverage, the source said. He pays for the process out of pocket — sparing his campaign the expense, and the task of masking it on public campaign finance reports — and steers clear of public salons where he could be recognized. Instead, he gets misted down in the comfort of his own home or hotel suite.

The Romney campaign flatly denied that the candidate spray tans: "Not true," spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in response to an inquiry.

Romney's ever-changing complexion has been a point of public curiosity throughout the campaign, especially after his appearance at a Univision forum in September. There, his unusually dark skin tone prompted conspiracy-minded Tweeters to speculate that he had purposefully applied brown makeup in order to "look more Latino." At the time, one of the network's anchors debunked the rumor to BuzzFeed, and the makeup artist even came forward to defend Romney.

"When he walked in, I remember thinking, 'Wow this is tanner than I thought he was,' but I think he's just been outside a lot lately for his campaign," Lazz Rodriguez told Univision afterward. "It was definitely a real tan."

But Romney's darker-than-usual complexion at the forum was actually the product of an exceptionally fresh spray tan, the source said. And while the web has been rife with speculation about the candidate's coloring, no one has found it more obvious than people in the tanning industry.

"Oh, for sure he had a spray tan," Jimmy Coco, a celebrity tanner from Los Angeles, told BuzzFeed while looking at pictures of the candidate. "I just see the sort of red hue that you get from some of the spray tanning places... The ears are white. That is a giveaway. If you look at Obama, he's all one tone. A lot of times, what they do when they're giving a spray tan, they'll put a cap on and their cap will cover the ears."

Mobile tanning professionals said the service generally costs between $200 and $500, depending on how far they have to travel for house calls. (It's unclear how much Romney spends, since he is always traveling.)

Methodologies vary, but Jennifer Lee, owner of Born to Glow in Beverly Hills, said the most high-tech services equip their mobile tanners with pop-up tents and portable misters, which they bring to the clients' homes, offices, or hotel rooms.

"I pop up the tent, detemine how dark the client wants to go, and then I mix the formula and match it with their skin tone," Lee said. "I have an eye for that."

Anna Stankiewicz, owner of the New York-based spray tan company Suvara, specializes in house calls, and said she has been hired by several New York City politicians over the years — including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who she said was "cool about it."

Robin Levine, a City Council spokeswoman, denied that Quinn had ever been a client of Stankiewicz's. "Speaker Quinn has never been spray tanned," said Levine in a statement to BuzzFeed. But Stankiewicz reiterated that she had indeed spray tanned the Speaker about three years ago at Rita Hazan Salon in New York City.

Political clients usually only get sprayed "from the waist up" because legs stay hidden inside suit pants, while forearms are often revealed when men roll up their shirt sleeves, Stankiewicz said. She added that confidentiality agreements are common among high-profile clients.

Like most of the industry experts who spoke to BuzzFeed, Stankiewicz suspected Romney spray tanned long before she was approached for an interview, and noted that it's fairly common practice in politics. After all, she said, "It's not like Mitt Romney can go chill out on a beach right now; he needs a quick fix."

Some of the spray tanning professionals also sniffed a bit at the job done on Romney.

"The color he's choosing is totally not believable," Stankiewicz said. "It's a dead giveaway... They're clearly using way too dark a forumla for his skin tone, It's just like, 'Oh my God, he got sprayed. It's just so obvious."

Tamar Vezirian, owner of New York-based mobile airbrush tanning service Gotham Glow, said she's received e-mails from clients and friends who saw the candidate on TV and said, 'Oh, did you see Mitt Romney's spray tan? Why didn't he call you?"

"His hands were really dark, and the neck was white," Vezirian said after watching Monday night's debate. "It was very uneven, and it didn't look natural at all. You can always tell by looking at the hands and the neck. On camera, it shows up a lot more too."

She added, "I was looking at Mitt Romney the whole time and just thinking, with all that money you’d think he’d get the best spray tanner in the country."

Update: This story has been updated with comments from an aide to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and further comment from the spray tan specialist who said she worked with Quinn.

]]>McKay Coppinshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/how-mitt-romney-gets-so-tanWed, 24 Oct 2012 10:36:54 -0400<b>A source lets BuzzFeed in on a campaign mystery: It&#39;s a spray tan.</b> "It&#39;s not like Mitt Romney can go chill out on a beach right now; he needs a quick fix."mckaycoppinsnonadultRomney speaks a the Univision Candidates&#39; Forum moderated in Miami on September 19.nonadultIt has been one of the running mysteries of the 2012 campaign trail: How Mitt Romney maintains the ruddy, glowing, and occasionally changing skin tone that helps him project an image of 65-year-old vigor.
A knowledgeable source tells BuzzFeed the answer is in a bit of cosmetic technology used commonly by celebrities: spray tanning. The Republican nominee has made a habit of spray tanning before major speeches, debates, interviews, and other events that have a chance of getting wide TV coverage, the source said. He pays for the process out of pocket &mdash; sparing his campaign the expense, and the task of masking it on public campaign finance reports &mdash; and steers clear of public salons where he could be recognized. Instead, he gets misted down in the comfort of his own home or hotel suite.
The Romney campaign flatly denied that the candidate spray tans: "Not true," spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in response to an inquiry.
Romney&#39;s <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/11-shades-of-mitt-romney">ever-changing complexion</a> has been a point of public curiosity throughout the campaign, especially after his appearance at a Univision forum in September. There, his unusually dark skin tone prompted conspiracy-minded Tweeters to speculate that he had purposefully applied brown makeup in order to "look more Latino." At the time, one of the network&#39;s anchors debunked the rumor to BuzzFeed, and the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/mitt-romneys-tan-draws-media-fire-makeup-artist/story?id=17290303">makeup artist</a> even came forward to defend Romney.
"When he walked in, I remember thinking, &#39;Wow this is tanner than I thought he was,&#39; but I think he&#39;s just been outside a lot lately for his campaign," Lazz Rodriguez told Univision afterward. "It was definitely a real tan."
But Romney&#39;s darker-than-usual complexion at the forum was actually the product of an exceptionally fresh spray tan, the source said. And while the web has been rife with speculation about the candidate&#39;s coloring, no one has found it more obvious than people in the tanning industry.
"Oh, for sure he had a spray tan," Jimmy Coco, a celebrity tanner from Los Angeles, told BuzzFeed while looking at pictures of the candidate. "I just see the sort of red hue that you get from some of the spray tanning places... The ears are white. That is a giveaway. If you look at Obama, he&#39;s all one tone. A lot of times, what they do when they&#39;re giving a spray tan, they&#39;ll put a cap on and their cap will cover the ears."
Mobile tanning professionals said the service generally costs between $200 and $500, depending on how far they have to travel for house calls. (It&#39;s unclear how much Romney spends, since he is always traveling.)
Methodologies vary, but Jennifer Lee, owner of Born to Glow in Beverly Hills, said the most high-tech services equip their mobile tanners with pop-up tents and portable misters, which they bring to the clients&#39; homes, offices, or hotel rooms.
"I pop up the tent, detemine how dark the client wants to go, and then I mix the formula and match it with their skin tone," Lee said. "I have an eye for that."
Anna Stankiewicz, owner of the New York-based spray tan company Suvara, specializes in house calls, and said she has been hired by several New York City politicians over the years &mdash; including City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who she said was "cool about it."
Robin Levine, a City Council spokeswoman, denied that Quinn had ever been a client of Stankiewicz&#39;s. "Speaker Quinn has never been spray tanned," said Levine in a statement to BuzzFeed. But Stankiewicz reiterated that she had indeed spray tanned the Speaker about three years ago at Rita Hazan Salon in New York City.
Political clients usually only get sprayed "from the waist up" because legs stay hidden inside suit pants, while forearms are often revealed when men roll up their shirt sleeves, Stankiewicz said. She added that confidentiality agreements are common among high-profile clients.
Like most of the industry experts who spoke to BuzzFeed, Stankiewicz suspected Romney spray tanned long before she was approached for an interview, and noted that it&#39;s fairly common practice in politics. After all, she said, "It&#39;s not like Mitt Romney can go chill out on a beach right now; he needs a quick fix."
Some of the spray tanning professionals also sniffed a bit at the job done on Romney.
"The color he&#39;s choosing is totally not believable," Stankiewicz said. "It&#39;s a dead giveaway... They&#39;re clearly using way too dark a forumla for his skin tone, It&#39;s just like, &#39;Oh my God, he got sprayed. It&#39;s just so obvious."
Tamar Vezirian, owner of New York-based mobile airbrush tanning service Gotham Glow, said she&#39;s received e-mails from clients and friends who saw the candidate on TV and said, &#39;Oh, did you see Mitt Romney&#39;s spray tan? Why didn&#39;t he call you?"
"His hands were really dark, and the neck was white," Vezirian said after watching Monday night&#39;s debate. "It was very uneven, and it didn&#39;t look natural at all. You can always tell by looking at the hands and the neck. On camera, it shows up a lot more too."
She added, "I was looking at Mitt Romney the whole time and just thinking, with all that money you&rsquo;d think he&rsquo;d get the best spray tanner in the country."
<i>Update</i>: This story has been updated with comments from an aide to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and further comment from the spray tan specialist who said she worked with Quinn.nonadult11 Shades Of Mitt Romneyhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/11-shades-of-mitt-romney
Many have speculated about the presidential candidate’s tan. The cause of his changing televised color — makeup, lighting, or something else — remains unclear. But, different shades of foundation seem like a likely culprit.

]]>Amy Odellhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/11-shades-of-mitt-romneyThu, 04 Oct 2012 13:33:56 -0400<b>Many have <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/mitt-romneys-tan-draws-media-fire-makeup-artist/story?id=17290303#.UG3FwflUNH8">speculated</a> <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fash-track/mitt-romney-tan-spray-fake-election-2012-374582">about</a> the presidential candidate&#39;s tan.</b> The cause of his changing televised color &mdash;&nbsp;makeup, lighting, or something else &mdash;&nbsp;remains unclear. But, different shades of foundation seem like a likely culprit.amyodellnonadultCareer Confidential: Harrowing Tales From The Tanning Salonhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedshift/career-confidential-harrowing-tales-from-the-tann
How did the Tan Mom get so tan? Do parents really bring their young kids in to tan with them? A former tanning salon employee explains just how bizarre things really get under the UV lamps.

Do you have funny or fascinating stories about your job? Want to tell us anonymously? Write us at shift@buzzfeed.com.

I used to work at a chain tanning salon's Maryland and New York locations. Tan Mom is so scary, she's so gross. But some of the people I worked with were that level of tan. We would rig the booth, so they could go in multiple times when they weren't supposed to. We also used this stuff called Tingler, which is a tanning lotion that you put all over your body. When the UV rays hit it, it tingles and it activates the melanin in your skin even more so you get really, really tan. I know girls who would put it on their face and their faces would be purple when they came out of the booth. You're not supposed to wash it off after going under the lamps, so your skin would be burning. That was the next level tanning experience — they'd come out and look just crazy purple. I could not do that. And it is legal but it's really dangerous. We would always advise customers of the different Tingle levels. If you do a level 5 Tingle your skin will burn, so we recommend a level 1 or 2 Tingle.

I would just put on Australian Gold tanning oil. Tan Mom? I'm sure she has Tingled — she probably does something beyond a Tingle, her skin is crispy. But that's what this stuff would do — it would literally make you that tan.

I worked in the salons before the age restriction laws took effect but we always had a rule in place that you had to be 18 or older to tan, and if not you'd have to have a parent with you. We'd check IDs, and the high school kids, if you didn't let them tan, would be pissed.

In Maryland moms brought their kids to the tanning beds. They'd be as young as 12 years old up in the tanning bed. I felt wrong putting the kids in the beds, but the mom would always say things like, "We gotta tan for the beach." The moms would tan too. In Maryland tanning was such a thing — everyone wanted to be tan — so the kids were just happy they got to go to the tanning salon with mom. But I never saw anyone as young as five years old try to tan. I would never put anyone that young in a tanning booth.

In New York the place I worked had been a 24-hour tanning salon. Nobody needs a 24-hour tanning salon. Everyone was coked up all night trying to get people to tan. When they hired me, they also hired a bunch of new people and got rid of the old cracked-out people, but we still had to stay open til midnight. Nobody needs to be tanning at midnight.

A lot of people did not care about being naked. I saw so many naked booties all the time because a lot of them would leave their shoes outside and run around willy-nilly just wearing a towel.

Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil.

Julio Cortez / AP

We caught people having sex in the booth once. It was two guys and we had to bang on the bulbs and tell them to stop. They were not even being discreet about it, either — we could see it moving and we saw two pairs of shoes outside. We kicked one of them out of that booth. They still got to tan but we didn't let them tan together.

I worked with these flighty girls. Once a midget came in and one of my coworkers just screamed and ran to the back. That was really bad. I helped the midget, but the midget saw my coworker run and everything.

Once, this woman came in who wasn't a regular customer. We offered deals like $30 for unlimited tanning for a month, but she wanted a one-off. She kept asking all these questions about how to use a booth (we only had standing booths) and you always explain to people how the booth works and where the exit is once you're in there. It all looks the same once you're inside because there are bulbs on the doors. But you can open the door once you're tanning — people step out all the time to cool off for a minute.

But this girl was in the booth and she wanted to get out and couldn't find the exit, even though it's labeled "exit." She called us over and we said, ma'am look for the exit sign, and she's like, "I can't find it! I cant' find it!" So she started banging the walls of the booth — she was having a panic attack in there — and you can hear all the bulbs breaking. And they're still on! So my coworker rushed to unplug the booth because you can't turn it off or open it from the outside. So when he opened the door — I'm squeamish so I couldn't look — but my coworker told me there was blood and glass everywhere. We had to call the ambulance — she cut up her arms and everything.

Also, this is really gross, but wa lot of the time our laundry machine in the basement would go out. And we want to give everyone a towel every time they tan. But a couple times when we didn't have the washing machine, our manager would tell us just to put the dirty towels in the dryer and not wash them. I was like, we could take them to a laundromat, but they didn't want to do that because it cost money.

As told to Amy Odell.

]]>BuzzFeed Shifthttps://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedshift/career-confidential-harrowing-tales-from-the-tannWed, 06 Jun 2012 16:02:08 -0400<b>How did the Tan Mom get so tan? Do parents really bring their young kids in to tan with them?</b> A former tanning salon employee explains just how bizarre things really get under the UV lamps.buzzfeedshiftnonadultnonadult<i>Do you have funny or fascinating stories about your job? Want to tell us anonymously? Write us at <a href="mailto:shift@buzzfeed.com">shift@buzzfeed.com</a>.</i>
I used to work at a chain tanning salon&#39;s Maryland and New York locations. Tan Mom is so scary, she&#39;s so gross. But some of the people I worked with were that level of tan. We would rig the booth, so they could go in multiple times when they weren&#39;t supposed to. We also used this stuff called Tingler, which is a tanning lotion that you put all over your body. When the UV rays hit it, it tingles and it activates the melanin in your skin even more so you get really, really tan. I know girls who would put it on their face and their faces would be <i>purple</i> when they came out of the booth. You&#39;re not supposed to wash it off after going under the lamps, so your skin would be burning. That was the next level tanning experience &mdash; they&#39;d come out and look just crazy purple. I could not do that. And it is legal but it&#39;s really dangerous. We would always advise customers of the different Tingle levels. If you do a level 5 Tingle your skin will burn, so we recommend a level 1 or 2 Tingle.
I would just put on Australian Gold tanning oil. Tan Mom? I&#39;m sure she has Tingled &mdash; she probably does something <i>beyond</i> a Tingle, her skin is crispy. But that&#39;s what this stuff would do &mdash; it would literally make you that tan.
I worked in the salons before the age restriction laws took effect but we always had a rule in place that you had to be 18 or older to tan, and if not you&#39;d have to have a parent with you. We&#39;d check IDs, and the high school kids, if you didn&#39;t let them tan, would be pissed.
In Maryland moms brought their kids to the tanning beds. They&#39;d be as young as 12 years old up in the tanning bed. I felt wrong putting the kids in the beds, but the mom would always say things like, "We gotta tan for the beach." The moms would tan too. In Maryland tanning was such a thing &mdash; everyone wanted to be tan &mdash; so the kids were just happy they got to go to the tanning salon with mom. But I never saw anyone as young as five years old try to tan. I would never put anyone that young in a tanning booth.
In New York the place I worked had been a 24-hour tanning salon. Nobody needs a 24-hour tanning salon. Everyone was coked up all night trying to get people to tan. When they hired me, they also hired a bunch of new people and got rid of the old cracked-out people, but we still had to stay open til midnight. Nobody needs to be tanning at midnight.
A lot of people did not care about being naked. I saw so many naked booties all the time because a lot of them would leave their shoes outside and run around willy-nilly just wearing a towel.nonadult<small>Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil.</small>nonadultWe caught people having sex in the booth once. It was two guys and we had to bang on the bulbs and tell them to stop. They were not even being discreet about it, either &mdash; we could see it moving and we saw two pairs of shoes outside. We kicked one of them out of that booth. They still got to tan but we didn&#39;t let them tan together.
I worked with these flighty girls. Once a midget came in and one of my coworkers just screamed and ran to the back. That was really bad. I helped the midget, but the midget saw my coworker run and everything.
Once, this woman came in who wasn&#39;t a regular customer. We offered deals like $30 for unlimited tanning for a month, but she wanted a one-off. She kept asking all these questions about how to use a booth (we only had standing booths) and you always explain to people how the booth works and where the exit is once you&#39;re in there. It all looks the same once you&#39;re inside because there are bulbs on the doors. But you can open the door once you&#39;re tanning &mdash; people step out all the time to cool off for a minute.
But this girl was in the booth and she wanted to get out and couldn&#39;t find the exit, even though it&#39;s labeled "exit." She called us over and we said, ma&#39;am look for the exit sign, and she&#39;s like, "I can&#39;t find it! I cant&#39; find it!" So she started banging the walls of the booth &mdash; she was having a panic attack in there &mdash; and you can hear all the bulbs breaking. And they&#39;re still on! So my coworker rushed to unplug the booth because you can&#39;t turn it off or open it from the outside. So when he opened the door &mdash; I&#39;m squeamish so I couldn&#39;t look &mdash; but my coworker told me there was blood and glass everywhere. We had to call the ambulance &mdash; she cut up her arms and everything.
Also, this is really gross, but wa lot of the time our laundry machine in the basement would go out. And we want to give everyone a towel every time they tan. But a couple times when we didn&#39;t have the washing machine, our manager would tell us just to put the dirty towels in the dryer and not wash them. I was like, we could take them to a laundromat, but they didn&#39;t want to do that because it cost money.
<i>As told to Amy Odell.</i>nonadultPale Is The New Tanhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/pale-is-the-new-tan
Women around the nation are pressured to get tan to look hot. Getting married? Get a tan. Got a high school reunion? Get a tan. Well I’m here with some photos of some hot pale people to say go ahead and be your pale, natural-born self.

...or Paris Hilton?

Jennifer Lawrence

...or Christina Aguilera?

What have we learned, Leighton Meester?

ANSWER: That you don't have to get a spray tan to look gorgeous.

]]>Amy Odellhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/pale-is-the-new-tanWed, 16 May 2012 15:01:33 -0400<b>Women around the nation are pressured to get tan to look hot.</b> Getting married? Get a tan. Got a high school reunion? Get a tan. Well I&#39;m here with some photos of some hot pale people to say go ahead and be your pale, natural-born self.amyodellnonadult<big><b>Would you rather look like...</b></big>nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultRemember this? When she looked like she had fake tanner running down her leg?nonadultnonadult<big><b>ANSWER: That you don&#39;t have to get a spray tan to look gorgeous.</b></big>nonadultHigh School Students Pledge Not To Tan For Promhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/high-school-students-pledge-not-to-tan-for-prom
Over 200 students at Maynard High School in Massachusetts signed a pledge not to use tanning beds before their prom, in order to lower their risk of skin cancer. Says senior Allison Bosse, who started the pledge, “More people showed up with their natural skin color than in previous years, and everyone looked beautiful.”

Over 200 students at Maynard High School in Massachusetts signed a pledge not to use tanning beds before their prom, in order to lower their risk of skin cancer. Says senior Allison Bosse, who started the pledge, "More people showed up with their natural skin color than in previous years, and everyone looked beautiful."

]]>Anna Northhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/high-school-students-pledge-not-to-tan-for-promTue, 15 May 2012 09:06:52 -0400Over 200 students at Maynard High School in Massachusetts signed a pledge not to use tanning beds before their prom, in order to lower their risk of skin cancer. Says senior Allison Bosse, who started the pledge, "More people showed up with their natural skin color than in previous years, and everyone looked beautiful."annanorthnonadult9 Reasons Why This Has Been The Worst Week Ever On The Internethttps://www.buzzfeed.com/samir/reasons-why-this-has-been-the-worst-week-ever-on-t
This was originally supposed to be a list of 10 things but there was so little on the internet this week I couldn’t find one.

Scumbag Steve released a rap song

This woman is now famous

Indian Ashton Kutcher was the most offensive thing that happened

Facebook finally announced their IPO date

]]>Samir Mezrahihttps://www.buzzfeed.com/samir/reasons-why-this-has-been-the-worst-week-ever-on-tFri, 04 May 2012 16:36:53 -0400<b>This was originally supposed to be a list of 10 things but there was so little on the internet this week I couldn&#39;t find one.</b>samirnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultTo Spray Tan Or Not To Spray Tan?https://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/to-spray-tan-or-not-to-spray-tan
For the pale among us, occasion tanning has become as much a part of occasion dressing as leg-shaving. But why? The Fashion Mailbag is here to resolve the issue.

Have a style question for Amy? Want to banter about bad celebrity outfits? Write her at amy.odell@buzzfeed.com.

I have to go to a bachelorette party in Miami in the near future and am thinking about getting a spray tan for the occasion. I live up north where it's cold and gloomy and so I'm pretty pale. Tanning is not a Thing I Do, so it's like, do I bother with this spray tan business?

I wouldn't. Because, who cares? Honestly with this Tan Mom terrorizing the nation right now I'm more tanning averse than ever, wether it's coming from a booth, a squirt machine or the sun in the sky. So if you're naturally pale, who gives a crap, really? It's a bachelorette party. Once you get down there you'll be more concerned with drinking away the penis cookie and house music of it all than being tan.

However, you do raise an interesting question about Occasion Tanning. For some reason it's become part of getting ready for some momentous thing in life, whether it's a small event like a trip to somewhere sunny or a big event like your wedding. Shave the legs, pluck the eyebrows, go on a diet, get a tan. As a fellow pale person, I don't see why Tan should be hotter than Not Tan. And yet, this is probably how most of us feel about our own appearance — that we look better with a tan. Yes, some sexy people are naturally tan, but some sexy people are very pale!

And I feel like more and more lately, famous people are ruining Tan. It's become a mark of the tacky, as evidenced by:

1. Everyone on "Jersey Shore" except maybe Vinny.

Seriously, don't you want to be the opposite of these people in every way?

2. The terrifying Tan Mom.

3. "Mob Wives."

4. The Real Housewives of Orange County, New Jersey and Beverly Hills. (With few exceptions, like my girl LISA.)

However! I am very lazy and cheap which is another reason I say don't bother with the spray tan. But if you're not as lazy or cheap and also want some color for the purpose of that much added sun protection and don't mind putting some effort into getting it, you might want to try a Tan Towel before you splurge on a salon treatment. I hear these work well.

Tan Towel:

And if you want to try to work it into your weekend so that you don't have to sit around eating cream-filled penis cake and sending complaining texts to your friends who didn't have to go, apparently "spray tan parties" are a Thing, so you could go with everyone while you're down there and be just like these ladies!

Anyway, no matter what you do, be yourself! If yourself is spray tanned, be spray tanned. And no matter what, wear sunscreen every day.

So good luck not feeling embarrassed when you're at this thing! I hope no plastic penis straws, stripper poles, or other cliché bachelorette party things figure into your weekend.

]]>Amy Odellhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/to-spray-tan-or-not-to-spray-tanFri, 04 May 2012 12:59:54 -0400<b>For the pale among us, occasion tanning has become as much a part of occasion dressing as leg-shaving. But why?</b> The Fashion Mailbag is here to resolve the issue.amyodellnonadultnonadult<i>Have a style question for Amy? Want to banter about bad celebrity outfits? Write her at <a href="mailto:amy.odell@buzzfeed.com">amy.odell@buzzfeed.com</a>.</i>
<b>I have to go to a bachelorette party in Miami in the near future and am thinking about getting a spray tan for the occasion. I live up north where it&#39;s cold and gloomy and so I&#39;m pretty pale. Tanning is not a Thing I Do, so it&#39;s like, do I bother with this spray tan business?</b>
I wouldn&#39;t. Because, who cares? Honestly with this <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/the-best-reason-youll-ever-see-to-never-tan-again">Tan Mom terrorizing the nation</a> right now I&#39;m more tanning averse than ever, wether it&#39;s coming from a booth, a squirt machine or the sun in the sky. So if you&#39;re naturally pale, who gives a crap, really? It&#39;s a bachelorette party. Once you get down there you&#39;ll be more concerned with drinking away the penis cookie and house music of it all than being tan.
However, you do raise an interesting question about Occasion Tanning. For some reason it&#39;s become part of getting ready for some momentous thing in life, whether it&#39;s a small event like a trip to somewhere sunny or a big event like your wedding. Shave the legs, pluck the eyebrows, go on a diet, get a tan. As a fellow pale person, I don&#39;t see why Tan should be hotter than Not Tan. And yet, this is probably how most of us feel about our own appearance &mdash; that we look better with a tan. Yes, some sexy people are naturally tan, but some sexy people are very pale!
And I feel like more and more lately, famous people are <i>ruining</i> Tan. It&#39;s become a mark of the tacky, as evidenced by:nonadultSeriously, don&#39;t you want to be the opposite of these people in every way?nonadultnonadultnonadult<small>The current O.C. Housewives cast.</small>nonadultHowever! I am very lazy and cheap which is another reason I say don&#39;t bother with the spray tan. But if you&#39;re not as lazy or cheap and also want some color for the purpose of that much added sun protection and don&#39;t mind putting some effort into getting it, you might want to try a Tan Towel before you splurge on a salon treatment. I hear these work well.nonadultnonadultIt&#39;s just a wipe with tanner in it that you rub on yourself.
And if you want to try to work it into your weekend so that you don&#39;t have to sit around eating cream-filled penis cake and sending complaining texts to your friends who didn&#39;t have to go, apparently "spray tan parties" are a Thing, so you could go with everyone while you&#39;re down there and be just like these ladies!nonadultnonadultAnyway, no matter what you do, be yourself! If yourself is spray tanned, be spray tanned. And no matter what, wear sunscreen every day.
So good luck not feeling embarrassed when you&#39;re at this thing! I hope no plastic penis straws, stripper poles, or other clich&eacute; bachelorette party things figure into your weekend.nonadultThe Best Reason You'll Ever See To Never Tan Againhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/the-best-reason-youll-ever-see-to-never-tan-again
It’s Tan Mom! The New Jersey woman accused of putting her 5-year-old daughter in a tanning bed who’s now getting more attention for her football-hued mug than for her alleged crime.

Krentcil with her lawyer.

Julio Cortez / AP

You've met Tiger Mom. You may also know Diet Mom. And by now you've probably become pretty well acquainted with Tan Mom! It just wouldn't be the news if there wasn't an evil mom to vilify. This week's is New Jersey's Patricia Krentcil, 44, who faces child endangerment charges for allegedly putting her 5-year-old daughter in a tanning bed.

Krentcil is especially suspicious since she herself is so tan, and, according to the "Today" show, uses a tanning bed a few times a week. As a result she looks about 70 years old — in addition to completely terrifying and like a science experiment. In her latest "accosted between Sears and the car"-style video, she tells a reporter she thinks people are attacking her because they're fat and ugly and jealous of her. It's like a time portal to Snooki in 20 years.

AP / AP

]]>Amy Odellhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/the-best-reason-youll-ever-see-to-never-tan-againFri, 04 May 2012 09:59:15 -0400<b>It&#39;s Tan Mom!</b> The New Jersey woman accused of putting her 5-year-old daughter in a tanning bed who&#39;s now getting more attention for her football-hued mug than for her alleged crime.amyodellnonadult<small>Krentcil with her lawyer.</small>nonadultYou&#39;ve met Tiger Mom. You may also know <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/amyodell/what-happens-when-moms-tell-their-daughters-theyr">Diet Mom</a>. And by now you&#39;ve probably become pretty well acquainted with Tan Mom! It just wouldn&#39;t be the news if there wasn&#39;t an evil mom to vilify. This week&#39;s is New Jersey&#39;s Patricia Krentcil, 44, who faces child endangerment charges for allegedly putting her 5-year-old daughter in a tanning bed.
Krentcil is especially suspicious since she herself is so tan, and, according to the "Today" show, uses a tanning bed a few times a week. As a result she looks about 70 years old &mdash; in addition to completely terrifying and like a science experiment. In her latest "accosted between Sears and the car"-style video, she tells a reporter she thinks people are attacking her because they&#39;re fat and ugly and jealous of her. It&#39;s like a time portal to Snooki in 20 years.nonadultnonadultnonadultCat Disapproves Of Equine Tanninghttps://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/cat-disapproves-of-equine-tanning
Can horses get skin cancer? Look, it’s your body Binky but that doesn’t mean we have to approve.

Lisi Niesner / Reuters

]]>Donna Dickenshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/cat-disapproves-of-equine-tanningFri, 20 Apr 2012 13:21:41 -0400<b>Can horses get skin cancer?</b> Look, it&#39;s your body Binky but that doesn&#39;t mean we have to approve.donnadnonadultThis Cat Winshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/this-cat-wins
Just let it all hang out, dude. And not a single intercourse was given that day.

]]>Gavon Laessighttps://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/this-cat-winsWed, 11 May 2011 11:24:24 -0400<b>Just let it all hang out, dude.</b> And not a single intercourse was given that day.gavonnonadultShould Teens Be Banned from Tanning?http://www.ivillage.com/should-teens-be-banned-tanning-docs-say-yes/4-a-327312

]]>ivillagehttp://www.ivillage.com/should-teens-be-banned-tanning-docs-say-yes/4-a-327312Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:47:19 -0500Doctors say yes.ivillageadultPeople From Planet Orangehttps://www.buzzfeed.com/melismashable/people-from-planet-orange
For reasons I don’t quite understand, some people think that having a tan is synonymous with good looks. I’m not saying that having a natural tan isn’t nice, but when you look like you’re wearing a carrot costume for Halloween, it’s time to think again.

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]]>MelisBuzzFeedhttps://www.buzzfeed.com/melismashable/people-from-planet-orangeThu, 09 Sep 2010 16:04:10 -0400<b> For reasons I don&#39;t quite understand, some people think that having a tan is synonymous with good looks. </b> I&rsquo;m not saying that having a natural tan isn&rsquo;t nice, but when you look like you&#39;re wearing a carrot costume for Halloween, it&#39;s time to think again.melismashablenonadult20 Unfortunate Sunburns [Slightly NSFW]https://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccae/20-unfortunate-sunburns-slightly-nsfw
Summer is here and the temperature is rising. If you’re one of the millions of people heading to a beach this summer, don’t forget your sunblock!

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]]>Rebecca E.https://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccae/20-unfortunate-sunburns-slightly-nsfwMon, 28 Jun 2010 16:10:54 -0400<b>Summer is here and the temperature is rising.</b> If you&#39;re one of the millions of people heading to a beach this summer, don&#39;t forget your sunblock!rebeccaenonadult